Bacopa Monnieri Extract

The whole plant contains Bacogenin A, nicotine and betulinic acid. In addition, two flavonoids are isolated, namely 7-glucuronyl apigenin and 7-glucuronyl luteolin.

1. Pharmacological activity on nerves (1) Beneficial effects on learning and memory Studies have shown that Bacopa monnieri and its extracts have brain-boosting effects. Bacopa monnieri and its ethanol extracts can significantly improve the learning ability of rats. The effect of promoting cognitive function is mainly due to the two active saponins, Bacopa saponins A and B, in the ethanol extracts. In addition to promoting the learning and memory functions of normal rats, the active ingredients can also inhibit amnesia (memory loss) caused by scopolamine, electric shock and restraint stress. (2) Anti-anxiety effect Bacopa monnieri extracts are different from benzodiazepine anxiolytics. The former can improve cognitive function while producing anxiolytic effects, while the latter has the side effect of causing dementia. The anxiolytic effects of BM standard extract and benzodiazepines were compared using a rat anxiolytic experimental model (elevated plus maze model). Rats were orally administered 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg BM extract and intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mg/kg lorazepam (LZP). Compared with lorazepam, the anxiolytic effect of high-dose Bacopa monnieri extract was stronger and significantly better than LZP. Bacopa monnieri not only does not cause dementia, but can enhance the memory function of demented animals and humans. (3) Antidepressant effect Bacopa monnieri methanol standard extract has a strong antidepressant effect on rodent depression models. Compared with the antidepressant imipramine (15 mg/kg), Bacopa monnieri administered once a day at 20 or 40 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days in the forced swimming and acquired helplessness depression models can produce significant antidepressant effects. (4) Anticonvulsant effect Bacopa monnieri was used alone or in combination with phenytoin (an anticonvulsant drug that causes cognitive dysfunction) to evaluate the passive avoidance test, maximum number of electroconvulsive seizures and motor function in mice. The results showed that phenytoin can damage cognitive function, while Bacopa monnieri can reverse the damage to cognitive function caused by phenytoin, significantly improve memory acquisition and maintain Chemicalbook memory, but does not affect the anticonvulsant effect of phenytoin; Bacopa monnieri used alone or in combination with other anticonvulsant drugs also confirmed that Bacopa monnieri has a strong anticonvulsant effect and can correct the damage to cognitive function caused by anticonvulsant drugs.
2. Antitumor effect Bacopa monnieri extract can inhibit tumor cell growth at low concentrations; the toxicity at high concentrations still needs to be clarified by further in vivo experiments. The drug's mode of action may be achieved by inhibiting DNA replication.
3. Liver protection studies have shown that Bacopa monnieri prevents the inhibition of antioxidant enzymes and the decrease of glutathione levels, inhibits the increase of lipid peroxidation after morphine administration, and thus exerts a liver protection effect on morphine-induced rat liver poisoning.
4. Relaxation of smooth muscle Bacopa monnieri ethanol extract has a relaxing effect on all isolated tissues such as isolated trachea, pulmonary artery and aorta of rabbits and guinea pigs, and can reduce the contraction of guinea pig tracheal strips caused by histamine, and it is dose-dependent. Among them, the effect on guinea pigs is the most obvious, but the tracheal specimens are completely relaxed. The relaxant effect of the extract on blood vessels cannot be blocked by atropine and prazosinol, but the relaxant effect on tracheal specimens can be partially blocked by prazosinol. Indomethacin can block the tissue relaxation caused by plant extracts, and the plant extracts have the same relaxing effect on blood vessels with or without endothelium. The results suggest that the relaxation caused by Bacopa monnieri may involve prostacyclin compounds and β-adrenergic receptors. In addition, this relaxation effect does not depend on the activation of endothelial and muscarinic receptors.
5. Other effects In addition to psychotropic effects, the anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic and other pharmacological effects of Bacopa monnieri preparations or extracts were evaluated. The effect of Bacopa monnieri on inhibiting experimental inflammation was compared with the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin. The results showed that BM effectively inhibited the experimental inflammatory response by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and partially stabilizing lysosomal membranes, and Bacopa monnieri did not cause gastrointestinal irritation at anti-inflammatory doses. Bacopa monnieri extracts can cure different types of inflammation.