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Bacopa and Memory Research
A 2001 double blind,
placebo controlled study by Nathan, Clarke and Lloyd, et al. gave a
single dose of 300 mg Bacopa monniera extract (standardized to
55-percent combined bacosides A and B) or placebo to 38 healthy male
volunteers,between the ages of 18 and 60. Subjects were tested two
hours after administration. No significant changes in cognitive
function were exhibited in comparison to baseline values (Nathan PJ,
Clarke J, Lloyd J, et al. The acute effects of an extract of Bacopa
monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy normal subjects.
Hum Psychopharmacol 2001;16:345-351). However, another study, by the
same researchers, showed significant cognitive gains when the
administration of Bacopa monniera extract was continued over a 12 wek
period. 46 volunteers were divided into treatment and placebo groups
and tested at baseline and again after 5 and 12 weeks. After 12
weeks, significant improvments were noted in the treatment group in
terms of verbal learning, memory consolidation, and speed of early
information processing. No gains were evident after 5 weeks ( Stough
C, Lloyd J, Clarke J, et al. The chronic effects of an extract of
Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human
subjects. Psychopharmacology 2001;156:481-484).
In
1987, a study was conducted in India by Sharma, Chaturvedi and Tewari
to
evaluate the cognitive effect of bacopa monniera on children. The
study involved 40 children ,divided into treatment and placebo
groups. The treatment group received one teaspoonful of Bacopa syrup
three times per day for three months. The placebo group were given
syrup simplex. At the end of the trial the groups were measured for
cognitive enhancement. The treatment group had significant
improvements exploratory drive, perceptual images of patterns, and
perceptual organization and reasoning ability (as measured by
reaction time). (Sharma R, Chaturvedi C, Tewari PV. Efficacy of
Bacopa monnieri in revitalizing intellectual functions in children. J
Res Edu Indian Med 1987;Jan-June:1-12)
In
2000, Negi, Singh and Kushwaha , conducted a study involving 36
children with diagnosed attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. 19
of the children were given 50 mg of Bacopa extract (standardized to
contain 20-percent bacosides) twice daily for 12 weeks. The remaining
17 childen were given a placebo. All children were given a final four
weeks of placebo treatment. The treatment group exhibited a marked
improvement in sentence repetition, logical memory, and paired
associate learning tasks after 12 weeks and managed to maintain these
gains at 16 weeks (Negi KS, Singh YD, Kushwaha KP, et al. Clinical
evaluation of memory enhancing properties of Memory Plus in children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Ind J Psychiatry
2000;42:Supplement).
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