Brahmi - a natural remedy to fight anxiety disorders.

[tomorrow]

I have seen people taking tablets and pills to fight off various mental disorders and most of them have serious side effects.  This is where the importance of a natural remedy comes in. 


Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri) is a herb which is an effective remedy for anxiety and cognitive disorders. It is proved that Brahmi improves functioning of nerve cells in your brain.  Moreover, it doesn’t have any side effects and on the other hand it has a lot benefits like improving your IQ level and alertness.  Brahmi is also recommended in conditions like Parkinson’s disease which is a nerve related disease. It also treats hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders which are quite common among kids nowadays. 


It is a good sign that people started realizing the dangerous side effects of modern pills and there is a visible switch over to herbal remedies. The only demerit of herbal remedies is that it takes time to show any visible results which makes it not suitable in critical / emergency situations. 

 

[Azelma]

I'm sort of divided on this at the moment, as neither Wikipedia nor another Google result (examine.com) do much to corroborate your claims.

Traditional uses[SIZE=small][[/SIZE]edit]



Bacopa has been used in traditional Ayurvedic treatment for epilepsy and asthma.[5] It is also used in Ayurveda for ulcers, tumors, ascites, enlarged spleen, inflammations, leprosy, anemia, and gastroenteritis.[3]


Research[SIZE=small][[/SIZE]edit]



Bacopa monnieri displays in vitro antioxidant and cell-protective effects.[17] In animals, it also inhibits acetylcholinesterase, activates choline acetyltransferase, and increases cerebral blood flow.[18]


Several studies have suggested that Bacopa monnieri extracts may have protective effects in animal models of neurodegeneration.[19] Small clinical trials in humans have found limited evidence supporting improved free memory recall, with no evidence supporting other cognition-enhancing effects.[20][21]

Plus this bit on side effects:

Toxicology[SIZE=small][[/SIZE]edit]



Aqueous extracts of Bacopa monnieri may have reversible adverse effects on spermatogenesis, sperm count, and fertility in male mice.[22]

Now some quotes from examine.com, that uses the Human Effect Matrix (evidence from human studies only):

Anxiety

Minor


VERY HIGHSee 2 studies



Appears to prevent rises in anxiety, and does not appear to unilaterally reduce anxiety. May be more of a modulator than anything, but doesn't appear overly potent



Cognition


-


VERY HIGHSee study



No significant influences noted on acute cognitive performance with bacopa monnieri ingestion

There's also this, though:

Memory

Notable


HIGHSee all 8 studies



Although general and requiring a long time to take effect (4-6 weeks), bacopa appears to reliably and effectively improve memory in both healthy persons and during cognitive decline

I might try this if I ever see it sold anywhere, but I wouldn't count on it, as an anxiety reliever at least.


Modern medicine isn't all bad and herbal remedies aren't all good. I don't want to get into a war over the subject, I'd just like to note this.

 

[kgord]

I have never heard of this before. I am not sure that it is available here as a supplement. I agree with Azelma on her point, that not all herbals are as effective as Western ,medicine, but they may have fewer side effects overall. The problem with herbals though is that the doses aren't as regulated as with Western medicine. Of course, there can be many counterfeits thrown in with modern meds.

 

[tomorrow]

Brahmi is used in Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine) which is based on herbs.  It is given for kids as a memory enhancer.  In Ayurvedic treatment it is used to cure   Alzheimer's disease and other issues like ADHD.  As it is a pure herbal medicine you can’t find its relevance in modern medicine. But it is a time tested cure for various anxiety disorders. 


It  is a natural plant and doesn’t have any side effects.  So it is even safer for kids.  Brahmi is also a remedy for many other diseases like back pain, epilepsy, sexual issues etc.


An overview of brahmi


Time of India article on Brahmi