Brahmi（Bacopa monnieri，假马齿苋），又称水牛膝草（water hyssop）或恩典之草（herb of grace），是阿育吠陀医学中最受推崇的促智（nootropic）草药之一。Brahmi 在传统上用于认知增强已有 3000 多年的历史，并有超过 500 篇科学文献发表，现已成为一种用于改善记忆、神经保护和认知长寿的强效天然化合物 [1]。该草药的名字源于印度教的创造之神“梵天（Brahma）”，反映了其在传统上与智慧和聪明的联系。
Brahmi 含有多种生物活性化合物，其中 Bacosides（假马齿苋皂苷）是主要的活性成分：
Bacosides（三萜皂苷）
其他生物活性化合物
Brahmi 在阿育吠陀医学中已有数千年的使用历史，主要用于：
Medhya Rasayana（健脑补品）
神经系统支持
整体健康
Brahmi 影响多个神经递质系统 [2]：
胆碱能系统增强
血清素能系统
多巴胺能系统
Brahmi 通过多种机制促进大脑可塑性 [3]：
突触可塑性
神经发生
Brahmi 表现出强大的抗氧化活性 [4]：
自由基清除
内源性抗氧化增强
Brahmi 特别能增强依赖于海马体的记忆 [5]：
空间记忆
情景记忆
多项随机对照试验表明了 Brahmi 的认知益处：
研究 1：记忆力增强 (2001)
研究 2：认知表现 (2008)
研究：与年龄相关的记忆力减退 (2014)
研究：广泛性焦虑 (2014)
研究：儿童 ADHD (2014)
研究：癫痫管理 (2015)
Brahmi 是传统医学被现代科学证实的杰出范例。凭借支持其增强认知、神经保护和改善记忆特性的广泛临床证据，Brahmi 已成为促进大脑健康和认知长寿的最有效的天然促智药之一。
该草药增强神经可塑性、调节神经递质和提供神经保护的能力，使其对于以高认知需求和与衰老相关的衰退为特征的现代生活方式尤为宝贵。随着研究不断揭示新的机制和应用，Brahmi 必将在基于证据的认知增强和健康大脑衰老方法中发挥越来越重要的作用。
Stough, C., Lloyd, J., Clarke, J., Downey, L. A., Hutchison, C. W., Rodgers, T., & Nathan, P. J. (2001). The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology, 156(4), 481-484. ↩︎
Roodenrys, S., Booth, D., Bulzomi, S., Phipps, A., Micallef, C., & Smoker, J. (2002). Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory. Neuropsychopharmacology, 27(2), 279-281. ↩︎
Kongkeaw, C., Dilokthornsakul, P., Thanarangsarit, P., Limpeanchob, N., & Norman Scholfield, C. (2014). Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 151(1), 528-535. ↩︎
Russo, A., Borrelli, F., Campisi, A., Acquaviva, R., Raciti, G., & Vanella, A. (2003). Nitric oxide-related toxicity in cultured astrocytes: effect of Bacopa monniera. Life Sciences, 73(12), 1517-1526. ↩︎
Peth-Nui, T., Wattanathorn, J., Muchimapura, S., Tong-Un, T., Piyavhatkul, N., Rangseekajee, P., ... & Sripanidkulchai, B. (2012). Effects of 12-week Bacopa monnieri consumption on attention, cognitive processing, working memory, and functions of both cholinergic and monoaminergic systems in healthy elderly volunteers. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012. ↩︎
Stough, C., Lloyd, J., Clarke, J., Downey, L. A., Hutchison, C. W., Rodgers, T., & Nathan, P. J. (2001). The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology, 156(4), 481-484. ↩︎
Calabrese, C., Gregory, W. L., Leo, M., Kraemer, D., Bone, K., & Oken, B. (2008). Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14(6), 707-713. ↩︎
Peth-Nui, T., Wattanathorn, J., Muchimapura, S., Tong-Un, T., Piyavhatkul, N., Rangseekajee, P., ... & Sripanidkulchai, B. (2012). Effects of 12-week Bacopa monnieri consumption on attention, cognitive processing, working memory, and functions of both cholinergic and monoaminergic systems in healthy elderly volunteers. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012. ↩︎
Raghav, S., Singh, H., Dalal, P. K., Srivastava, J. S., & Asthana, O. P. (2006). Randomized controlled trial of standardized Bacopa monniera extract in age-associated memory impairment. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 48(4), 238-242. ↩︎
Benson, S., Downey, L. A., Stough, C., Wetherell, M., Zangara, A., & Scholey, A. (2014). An acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study of 320 mg and 640 mg doses of Bacopa monnieri (CDRI 08) on multitasking stress reactivity and mood. Phytotherapy Research, 28(4), 551-559. ↩︎
Dave, U. P., Dingankar, S. R., Saxena, V. S., Joseph, J. A., Bethapudi, B., Agarwal, A., & Kudiganti, V. (2014). An open-label study to elucidate the effects of standardized Bacopa monnieri extract in the management of symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, 28(2), 10-15. ↩︎
Mathew, J., Paul, J., Nandhu, M. S., & Paulose, C. S. (2010). Bacopa monniera and Bacoside-A for ameliorating epilepsy associated behavioral deficits. Fitoterapia, 81(4), 315-322. ↩︎