BRAHMI :-­ THE BRAIN TONIC
Brahmi was, and still is, considered to be the premier herb for treating brain problems and age-related mental decline as well as to improve cognitive processes such as memory. Brahmi was established as a powerful nervine and brain tonic., brain enhancer

Botanical Name : Hydrocotyle Asiatica, Bacopa Monnieri
English Name : Pennywort - Indian , Hindi Name : Brahmi, Nir-brahmi , Sanskrit Name : Brahmi and Mandukparni , Odia Name: Thaalkudi, Brahmi

Brahmi is a small perennial herb, which can attain a maximum height of 2-3 ft. It has thick succulent leaves, which are supposed to store water in them. It flowers in summers i.e. from May to July. It bears oval shaped fruit, which follows after flowering. Whole plant part is used. Bacopa Monnieri is a weed, creeping plant found in damp,which grows in marshy land. This is found in many parts of the world. While, Hydrocotyle Asiatica is an herb native to India and Australia. ‘Bacopa Monnieri’ is a member of Scrophulariaceae plant family. This is a small, succulent creeping aquatic herb, rooting at the nodes. The leaves are opposite, decussate, sessile, fleshy and blackdotted. The flowers bloom in January to May; the color of the flower is pale blue or white. ‘Hydrocotyle asiatica’ is a member of Apeaceae plant family. This is a small creeping herb. The stem is slender, rooting at the nodes. The leaves are 1 to 4 from each node. The flowers bloom in May to November. The flowers are pink in color.

In Ayurvedic literature, both the herbs are known as Brahmi. Actually Pennywort – Indian is known as Brahmi and Bacopa monnieri is known as Jal- Brahmi or Nir- Brahmi. Both the types are used as very good nerve tonic and sedative with very good effect on stress. Extracts of leaves are used in Hair tonic preparations. Leaves are useful as Ayurvedic Medicinal Herb. Brahmi improves memory,increases learning capacity,relieves stress and anxiety, ideal for students and the elderly.

Medicinal Properties:
The plant is a cooling purgative intellect promoting and has astringent, bitter, sweet, aphrodisiac and aperient. Brahmi act as a nerve reliever because of its laghu (light) gunna (property). It helps in relieving nervous congestion and strain from them, as it possesses ushan virya potency, thereby it reduces vata dosha, which is main culprit in causing such problems. Due to presence of tickt rasa, it easily penetrates into the tissues thus giving soothing feel.

Uses:
This is a very good treatment of asthma, hoarseness of voice, insanity and epilepsy. This is also used for the treatment of cardiac and nerve tonic, insanity, headaches, scorpion stings, snakebites, anemia, leprosy, liver ailments, skin conditions, and memory lapses. This is a traditional brain nerve tonic, now being recognized for its memory enhancing and revitalizing effects.

Brahmi is used as a herbal brain tonic, to rejuvenate the body, as a promoter of memory and as a nerve tonic. It improves memory and helps overcome the negative effects of stress. It is unique in its ability to invigorate mental processes whilst reducing the effects of stress and nervous anxiety. Brahmi induces a sense of calm and peace.

Brahmi has gain world wide fame as a memory booster and mind alertness promoter. It is widely used as antioxidant and in improving the brain cell functions. It helps in relieving nervous congestion and strain from them, as it possesses ushan virya potency; thereby it reduces vata dosha, which is main culprit in causing such problems. Due to presence of tickt rasa, brahmi easily penetrates into the tissues thus giving soothing feel.

Health Benefits of Brahmi :
It improves intelligence level and mind alertness.
It helps in maintaining mental calmness and has an appetite for stress.
It helps in improving mental performance and increasing learning capacity.
It is helpful in increasing mental concentration level.
It has good effects on patients suffering from insomnia.
It helps in relieving them with all their stress and makes them feel good and relaxed.
Brahmi helps in decreasing anxiety and mental fatigue and promotes freshness in your mind.
It is also very effective in depression related problems.
It helps in rejuvenating there lost energies and makes them feel good and relaxed.
It helps in maintaining lowering blood pressure to the normal level.
It is very useful in maintaining normal body temperature thus relieving body from hyperthermia and fevers.
It is also very effective in treating menstrual disorders and painful menses.
Brahmi also finds its application in cough and cold related problem.
It is used to attain long life while having energy just like a youth. Brahmi works as an antioxidant and retards aging thus keep the person young and youthful.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM BRAHMI?
The effects of Brahmi can be of benefit to anyone wishing to stimulate their powers of recall and concentration. Although Brahmi has shown to be helpful in treating ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), age-related mental deterioration and concentration difficulties due to stress, it may be incredibly beneficial where there is no health condition, but only the desire to improve cognitive function.

Brahmi is as eminently suited to a healthy, young student looking to maximise their ability to focus and study, as to an elderly person hoping to regain their memory. It enables people to optimise their intellectual potential and mental vitality for the betterment of both personal and professional pursuits. Aside from increasing intellectual and cognitive function, Brahmi induces a sense of calm and peace in its users. It is unique in its ability to invigorate mental processes whilst reducing the effects of stress and nervous anxiety. Brahmi is ideal for students and workers faced with this problem.

As a nervine tonic, Brahmi has been used to help those affected by stroke, nervous breakdown or exhaustion and Attention Deficit Disorder. It may also be of value in assisting those with epilepsy.

Brahmi has been found very effective in depression related problems. It helps in rejuvenating there lost energies and makes them feel good and relaxed.

Brahmi also finds its application as an herb, which stimulates heart for its normal functioning, and also as hypotensive agent thereby lowering blood pressure to maintain it to its normal levels. It is very useful in maintaining normal body temperature thus relieving body from hyperthermia and fevers. Due to presence of tickt rasa it removes all the toxins present in blood stream. Brahmi is also very effective in treating menstrual disorders and painful menses . Asthmatic patients have also been seen getting great relief from regular use of Brahmi.

Since centuries Brahmi has been used as rasayan, hence it is used to attain long life while having energy just like a youth. It works as an antioxidant and retards aging thus keeps the person young and youthful It is also helpful in treating general body weakness and promotes energy levels like never before.