Brahmi Ayurvedic Medicinal Importance
Brahmi Ayurvedic Aushadhi Mahatva
“Brahmi is cold in potency, mobile, bitter, light and intellect-promoting.
It has astringent and sweet taste after digestion and acts as a rejuvenator that promotes longevity.
It improves voice and memory, cures skin diseases, anemia, diabetes, bleeding disorders and cough.
It detoxifies poison and alleviates fever.”
Names
• English name: Bacopa monnieri.
• Marathi name: Brahmi
• Sanskrit names: Saraswati, Somavalli, Saumya, Vayastha, Divyateja, Brahmi
• Hindi names: Jalneem, Brahmi, Jalbuti, Jalbrahmi, Neerbrahmi, Jalnevari
• Latin name: Bacopa monnieri
Countries where found
This plant is mainly found in the South Asian continent, especially in India and neighboring countries.
Habitat
Brahmi is found in river valleys, low-lying areas, especially marshy regions and wetlands.
Types of Brahmi plant
1. Brahmi
2. Neer Brahmi
3. Mandukaparni
Brahmi:
A creeping plant that spreads along the ground, having small, flat, spreading, serrated leaves.
Neer Brahmi:
This is considered the main Brahmi. It looks like a small leafy vegetable. It has small leaves and small flowers. The stem is fleshy, soft and succulent. It is a vegetable-type plant and is considered very important.
• Flowers: Small, white in color
• Fruits: Small in size with fine seeds inside
Mandukaparni:
The leaf stalks of this plant are positioned on one side.
Medicinal properties of Brahmi
• Taste (Rasa): Bitter, astringent, sweet
• Post-digestive effect (Vipaka): Sweet
• Potency (Virya): Cold
• Dosha action: Pacifies all three doshas (Tridoshaghna)
• Effect (Prabhava): Useful in mental disorders, stimulant
Medicinal importance of Brahmi
Brain-related benefits
Brahmi is an excellent tonic for the brain and is considered a boon. It is useful in brain-related problems such as depression, mental stress, anxiety, insomnia, loss of memory, forgetfulness, mental instability and other memory-related disorders.
Consumption of Brahmi helps regulate stress-producing factors, enhances intellectual abilities, improves memory, promotes good sleep and supports recovery from mental illnesses. It improves systems related to negativity and despair.
• Epilepsy is a brain-related disorder, and Brahmi is useful in its management.
• Alzheimer’s disease: Brahmi is beneficial and helps improve memory.
• Students, teachers, engineers benefit from Brahmi as it keeps the brain sharp and helps reduce work-related stress.
Brahmi helps reduce Vata disorders.
Heart health
Brahmi improves heart health, reduces cholesterol, ensures proper blood circulation, helps control blood pressure and strengthens the heart.
Digestive system
Consumption of Brahmi may reduce appetite. Therefore, to improve digestion, it is necessary to take digestive aids along with it.
Ginger with rock salt, dry ginger powder with rock salt, black pepper, long pepper powder and dry ginger (Trikatu formulation) should be included in the diet while consuming Brahmi. This helps increase appetite and improves digestion.
Respiratory system (Pranavaha Srotas)
• In cases of cold and Kapha disorders, Brahmi juice is given to small children to expel Kapha through therapeutic emesis. This procedure should be performed strictly under the supervision of an Ayurvedic physician.
• This therapy is also effective for adults.
• For hoarseness of voice, voice disorders and throat irritation, the combined intake of Brahmi, Vasa, Harad and Pippali is highly beneficial.
Hair health
Brahmi helps relieve mental stress and improves the efficiency of the brain and nerve cells, which results in improved hair health.
Applying Brahmi juice to the scalp or using coconut oil cooked with Brahmi and Bhringraj helps improve hair health.
Urinary system
Since Brahmi is an aquatic plant, it contains a high amount of water and increases urine output.
It is useful in conditions such as burning during urination, urinary stones and blood in urine.
How to consume Brahmi
• 5–10 ml juice or 125 mg powder
• Taken in the morning or at night before sleeping, on an empty stomach
• To be taken with lukewarm water, honey or ghee
Market-available formulations
Brahmi is used in preparations such as Brahmiprash, Brahmi Ghrita, Brahmi-siddha oil, Brahmi Vati, Saraswatarishta, Saraswat Ghrita and Saraswat Churna.
The dosage is decided according to the individual, body constitution and disease.
Dietary use
Brahmi can be consumed in the form of paratha, vegetable preparation, juice, tea and decoction.
Brahmi capsules and tablets are also available in the market.
Note
Any Ayurvedic medicine should be taken after understanding one’s Vata, Pitta and Kapha constitution and only after consulting an Ayurvedic physician.
Thus, this is complete information about the medicinal plant Brahmi.
Brahmi Ayurvedic Aushadhi Mahatva.
