The Botanical Name of bacopa is Bacopa monnieri
Common Names
Bacopa, Water hyssop, Brahmi
Family
Plantaginaceae
Medicinal Uses
Ayurvedic, Memory/Focus
Properties
Calm, Meditation, Nervine
Parts Used
whole herb
Constituents
brahmine, nicotine, and herpestine, bacoside, triterpenoid saponins, glycosides, and phenylethnoid glycosides
Habitat
Found throughout India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, and is also found in Florida, Hawaii and other southern states. Habitat includes wetlands and bogs
Side Effects
Increased bowel movements, stomach cramps, nausea, dry mouth, and fatigue. Bacopa extract is possibley safe for adults when taken by mouth appropriately and short-term, up to 12 weeks.
How to Prepare
The entire plant can be used medicinally. It can be prepared as an alcohol extract using the fresh or dried plant. It can also be dried, ground in a blender and taken in capsule form. dry it whole and then use it in teas, in combination with sweeter, more delicious herbs to help balance out the bitterness. In India, it is often prepared in salads, soups, and as a cooked vegetable but as you will find out, it is quite bitter.
Tincturing recommend for the fresh plant in alcohol and setting it aside to combine with other herbs for a brain tonic formula. Herbs like: rosemary, skullcap, ginkgo, lemon balm, tulsi and ashwagandha.
