bacopa

Action and Spectrum

Actions and spectrum: 

It is observed in in-vitro studies that bacopa helps to reduce inflammation in the brain by inhibiting the inflammatory cytokines which are released from microglial cells and enzymes responsible for inflammation. 

Drug Interaction

Adverse Reaction

Frequency not defined  

Gastrointestinal irritation  

Muscle fatigue  

Flu-like symptoms  

Nausea   

Epigastric burning  

Bloating  

Dry mouth 

Black Box Warning

Black Box Warning   

None  

Contraindication / Caution

Contraindication/Caution:  

Contraindication:  

Blockage of the GI tract  

Stomach ulcers  

Thyroid disorder 

Pregnancy / Lactation

Pregnancy Warnings: 

Pregnancy category: N/A 

Lactation: Excretion of the drug into the human breast milk is unknown 

Pregnancy categories: 

• Category A: Satisfactory and well-controlled studies show no evidence of risk to the fetus in the first trimester or in the later trimester. 
• Category B: No evidence of risk to fetus found in animal reproduction studies and there are not enough studies on pregnant women. 
• Category C: Adverse effects on the fetus found with evidence in animal reproduction studies and no adequate evidence for an effect in humans, care must be taken for potential risks in pregnant women. 
• Category D: There is adequate data available with sufficient evidence of human fetal risk from various platforms, but despite potential risks may be used only in emergency cases for potential benefits. 
• Category X: Drugs listed in this category clearly outweigh risks over benefits. These category drugs should be prohibited for pregnant women. 
• Category N: There is no data available for the drug under this category. 

Pharmacology

Pharmacology:  

Bacopa contains certain chemicals, such as saponins, including bacosides A and B which are responsible for the pharmacological activities. It also has antioxidant properties.  

Pharmacodynamics:  

Bacopa is a well-known neuroprotective herb. It may be effective in overcoming the Tau-mediated pathology in neurons. Due to the aggregates of Tau protein are the predominant cause of Alzheimer disease. 

Pharmacokinetics:  

Limited information is available on ADME.  

Adminstartion

Administration:  

It is taken orally.  

Patient Information Leaflet

Patient information leaflet  

Generic Name: bacopa  

Why do we use bacopa?  

Bacopa is indicated to treat CNS inflammation, schizophrenia, epilepsy, mood disorders, and cognitive disorders. 

It is used traditionally for various conditions as a neural tonic and cognitive and memory enhancer.