Bacopa Monnieri is a well-known ayurvedic tonic (also called ‘Brahmi' - a reference to Brahma, the creator god of the Hindu pantheon). Its use dates back more than 3,000 years, and the scientific basis of its proven activity has been the subject of a 30 year study. Volunteers treated with Bacopa monnieri have shown an improvement in memory acquisition and retention as well as faster reactions. The former prime minister of India, Inder K Gujral, and the Grand Chess Master Vishwanathan Anand are both Bacopa converts.

• Bacopa significantly improves learning capacity. Children supplemented with bacopa show greater speed and precision. Interestingly, they also show greater intellectual curiosity and a preference for new experiences over familiar ones.
• Bacopa acts quickly (the first signs of cognitive improvement are apparent just 90 minutes after ingestion) and reduces, from 10 to 6 days, the amount of time necessary to master a complex task.
• Bacopa works, in a dose-dependent way, by increasing protein synthesis in the hippocampus, a region of the brain important for long-term memory. According to Nobel prizewinner Dr Robert Furchgott, Bacopa acts by increasing production of nitric oxide, a key chemical messenger.
• In cases of stress associated with sleep deprivation, bacopa lowers glutamate concentrations, and increases those of GABA in various regions of the brain. Anxiety levels fall by around 20% and mental fatigue also decreases. Levels of serotonin (an inhibitory neuromediator) increase.
• In a study of 19 hyperactive children, positive results were demonstrated in all subjects after four weeks, with a notable absence of side-effects.
• According to Sharma et al, Bacopa can improve intelligence and intellectual functions that have always been considered as essentially genetic. This conclusion is based on several studies, and the possibility that bacopa may be able to influence psycho-neurological functions associated with intellectual behaviour is a truly exciting prospect.
• Finally, other studies variously suggest that bacopa has significant antioxidant properties, that it is effective at treating irritable bowel syndrome, that it has a modest effect on lowering hypertension, and that it improves respiratory function in stressful situations.

Take one or two capsules, one to three times a day, as required or as advised by your therapist.