72 replies to this topic

[FunkOdyssey]

The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects
by
Stough C, Lloyd J, Clarke J, Downey LA,
Hutchison CW, Rodgers T, Nathan PJ.
Neuropsychology Laboratory,
School of Biophysical Science and Electrical Engineering,
Victoria, Australia.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001 Aug;156(4):481-4.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: Extracts of Bacopa monniera have been reported to exert cognitive enhancing effects in animals. However, the effects on human cognition are inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the chronic effects of an extract of B. monniera (Keenmind) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. METHODS: The study was a double-blind placebo-controlled independent-group design in which subjects were randomly allocated to one of two treatment conditions, B. monniera (300 mg) or placebo. Neuropsychological testing was conducted pre-(baseline) and at 5 and 12 weeks post drug administration. RESULTS: B. monniera significantly improved speed of visual information processing measured by the IT task, learning rate and memory consolidation measured by the AVLT (P<0.05), and state anxiety (P<0.001) compared to placebo, with maximal effects evident after 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that B. monniera may improve higher order cognitive processes that are critically dependent on the input of information from our environment such as learning and memory.

[mitkat]

I really like Bacopa, and have been enjoying it's effects more and more all the time. I take 500mg a day, off usually once a week. For the win!!

[wannafulfill]

it's the only "nootropic" I still take for what it's worth

[exigentsky]

Is Bacopa considered to have the most potent memory benefits out of the herbal extracts currently sold for this purpose? Does research show it to be more effective than Vinpocetine and Ginkgo? Also, I understand that it is a sedative, don't you feel too sleepy to do mental work when on it?

Edited by exigentsky, 03 February 2006 - 03:45 AM.

[wannafulfill]

it only makes me sleepier if I'm sleepy already

If I take it during the day I can concentrate assuming I've set myself up mentally to do so

[exigentsky]

So then, do you take it in the morning?

[wannafulfill]

No, only at night. I have taken it in the morning and at other times through the day though. The reason I decided to take it just once a day is because I get so much tea and tea-related supplements already. And the reason I take it at night is because I think it might help me relax.

[exigentsky]

So you only take it for relaxation purposes and not for nootropic benefits?

[FunkOdyssey]

I take it for the cognitive benefits described in the first abstract and for endogenous antioxidant boosting:

Antioxidant activity of Bacopa monniera in rat frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus.

Phytother Res 2000 May; 14(3): 174-9

Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Kumar A, Ghosal S.



The effect of a standardized extract of Bacopa monniera Linn. was assessed on rat brain frontal cortical, striatal and hippocampal superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, following administration for 7, 14 or 21 days. The effects induced by this extract (bacoside A content 82% +/- 0.5%), administered in doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, orally, were compared with the effects induced by (-) deprenyl (2 mg/kg, p. o.) administered for the same time periods. Bacopa monniera (BM) induced a dose-related increase in SOD, CAT and GPX activities, in all the brain regions investigated, after 14 and 21 days of drug administration. On the contrary, deprenyl induced an increase in SOD, CAT and GPX activities in the frontal cortex and striatum, but not in the hippocampus, after treatment for 14 or 21 days. The results suggest that BM, like deprenyl, exhibits a significant antioxidant effect after subchronic administration which, unlike the latter, extends to the hippocampus as well. The results suggest that the increase in oxidative free radical scavenging activity by BM may explain, at least in part, the cognition- facilitating action of BM, recorded in Ayurvedic texts, and demonstrated experimentally and clinically. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.font>

[exigentsky]

But will Bacopa's cognitive benefits persist even if it is taken at night?

[FunkOdyssey]

If you look at the first abstract, they say bacopa's cognitive benefits continued to increase beyond what they recorded at 5 weeks, maximal effects were evident at the 12 week interval.

This suggests to me that either high plasma/tissue levels are being gradually built up, and that is responsible for the continued improvement, or bacopa treatment is slowly influencing brain structure in a positive direction. Either way, the slow and steadily increasing nature of bacopa's benefits leads me to think the time of the dose, or spreading it out over the day vs. a single daily dose are not too important.

[exigentsky]

It leads me to the same conclusion (without full confidence), but I'm perplexed by it. For example, if it positively changes the brain's structure and that's responsible for the increase in benefit over time, than, will the results remain after a month or two after administration is stopped? How does it work?

[FunkOdyssey]

I don't think there is any available research to answer that. Although I wonder the same thing, I am not overly concerned about it. I just smile and pop the bacopa capsule every day.

[ergosum]

Another interesting trial:

http://scholar.googl...ic delayed word

"The results show no significant effect of chronic administration of brahmi on measures of short-term memory, working memory, attention, or the retrieval of information from long-term memory acquired pre-experimentally. Further, there were no significant effects on subjective measures of psychological state (depression, anxiety and stress) or everyday memory function.There was a significant effect on a task requiring the retention of new information: the recall of unrelated word pairs after a short delay. There were no significant differences associated with the rate of acquisition of the information, as evidenced by the lack of a significant difference between groups in the learning trials. Rather the effect appears to be a reduction in the amount of information lost from memory...

There is evidence of an antioxidant effect of Brahmi in the hippocampus (Bhattacharya et al.2000). When combined with the finding of improved retention of information in this study, this suggests that the effect of the extract of Bacopa monniera may be mediated by antioxidant action within the hippocampus."

I must say when I look at the actual table of results in the study, I find their conclusions regarding delayed word pairs a tad mystifying. There is certainly less of a reduction in performance from the last learning test to the delayed test with the Brahmi group. But that is true of the pre-trial results as well as the results at the end of the trial (3 months). However, I'm no stats boffin, and those with more expertise might like to comment. Also of interest is that in post-trial testing of the word pairs, the Brahmi group's performance dropped significantly compared to the placebo group, which could be indicative of its efficacy but also that benefits disappear if you stop taking it. In fact, this could even produce a negative effect. If I'm reading the results correctly, the Brahmi group were performing considerably better than the placebo group in the word pairs test at the end of the trial but worse than the placebo group in the follow up.

[karitas]

Does Bacopa have diuretic properties?
i.e. would taking it at night be a bad idea if you didn't want to have to go to the toilet regularly?

What do you people consider to be the ideal dose?

[ergosum]

What do you people consider to be the ideal dose?

I can't offer any personal expertise/experience, but you might note that both studies cited above used 300mg extracts. The second study varied this slightly by giving 450mg to those participents over 90kg bodyweight.

I'm ruminating on whether to add bacopa to the stack I'm currently building. I've only just started. But I've taken 200-400mg theanine the past couple of nights before bed and quite like it. I'm thinking that 300mg bacopa might complement this quite nicely as a nightcap.

[xanadu]

What's the difference between taking the extract and taking just plain bacopa? I ordered an lb of bacopa and am not sure how much to take.

[exigentsky]

The extract is far more concentrated.

Anyway, I just got AOR's Bacopa and I'm wondering, is it necessary to take it with food?

[FunkOdyssey]

LifeMirage doesn't take it with food, so probably not.

[exigentsky]

Yeah, I read up on it and all the studies were done with it being taken on an empty stomach. Its effectiveness is established this way and it doesn't seem to cause any stomach problems. (thankfully, it's nothing like aspirin)

[ergosum]

What's the difference between taking the extract and taking just plain bacopa? I ordered an lb of bacopa and am not sure how much to take.

From the second study:

"300 mg for persons under 90kg, and 450mg for persons over 90kg, equivalent to 6g and 9g dried rhizome, respectively"

[exigentsky]

I know now that Bacopa should be taken before eating, but how long should one wait to eat after taking it? I've just taken it before breakfast and I'm getting a bit hungry...

I'm also considering taking it at night so I can fall asleep faster and because if I take it during the day it does make me a little more sleepy.

Edited by exigentsky, 05 February 2006 - 10:58 PM.

[jegrx]

Did bacopa send anyone else straight to the bathroom the first few times they took it?? [nuk]

[exigentsky]

I think that it does increase thirst and urination frequency, but I don't see that as a big problem. Coffee does the same to me.

[jegrx]

That's not quite what I meant...

[exigentsky]

You mean the solid stuff...? LOL, I doubt that's bacopa...

[exigentsky]

I did more thinking and I came to the conclusion that due to my low weight ~55 kg, taking 300 mg of Bacopa in 1 dose is a bit too much. This means 5.45 mg of Bacopa/ kg. Thus, I become too relaxed and a bit tired. I think my best bet is taking it at night. But then I wonder if I will REALLY get the same benefits. I can't find any studies for when Bacopa was administered at night.

I don't know why AOR chose to put so much Bacopa in their pills, it's quite annoying now.

[wannafulfill]

I have taken between 500 and 800mgs (depending on what fits in a tampered OO cap, also 20% bacopasides) every night consistently for about a year and a little more.

[exigentsky]

Considering that I take 300 mg of a 50% Bacopa extract, that would be around 750 mg of your source. What brand is yours anyway?

[exigentsky]

I just asked AOR about this and they told me that the ideal time to take Bacopa "at night just before sleep on an empty stomach."