Bacopa monnieri is a “nootropic” ayurvedic herb also called water hyssop, brahmi, thyme-leafed gratiola, herb of grace, and Indian pennywort. It has been shown that the active chemicals known as bacosides present in Bacopa can cross the blood-brain barrier with confirmed bioavailability in the brain, where they inhibit inflammatory pathways1. Bacoside-A is one of the major bacosides, and is known to be neuroprotective as well as anti-inflammatory, two properties central to MS management. 

     In acute and chronic animal models, bacoside-A was shown to reduce the progression of EAE. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, bacoside-A treatment was associated with a significant reduction in cellular infiltrations, cellular changes, and demyelination in cerebral tissues, likely through inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines2.

     In an animal model of pregnancy, rats were given bacopa 100 mg/kg in combination with an anti-epileptic medication known to induce cognitive decline in offspring. Compared to control animals, bacopa treatment was associated with less decline. However, the researchers concluded that there was no adequate safety information about use of the herb in pregnancy 3. In an earlier study, the offspring of stressed pregnant rats given bacopa 80 mg/kg were observed to have less of the expected anxiety-like behavior and memory deficits. Safety was not discussed4.

      No reliable data exist on the excretion of any components of bacopa into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of astragalus in nursing mothers or infants.

References

1. Nemetchek MD, Stierle AA, Stierle DB, Lurie DI. The Ayurvedic plant Bacopa monnieri inhibits inflammatory pathways in the brain. J Ethnopharmacol. Feb 2 2017;197:92-100. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.07.073

2. Madhu K, T P, S M. Bacoside-A inhibits inflammatory cytokines and chemokine in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Biomed Pharmacother. Jan 2019;109:1339-1345. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.10.188

3. Sudhishma, Devadasa Acharya S, Ullal SD, Blossom V, Parida A, Noushida N. Levetiracetam exposure during prenatal and postnatal period induces cognitive decline in rat offsprings, not completely prevented by Bacopa monnieri. J Complement Integr Med. Dec 1 2022;19(4):897-903. doi:10.1515/jcim-2020-0424

4. Sivasangari K, Rajan KE. Standardized Bacopa monnieri Extract Ameliorates Learning and Memory Impairments through Synaptic Protein, Neurogranin, Pro-and Mature BDNF Signaling, and HPA Axis in Prenatally Stressed Rat Offspring. Antioxidants (Basel). Dec 4 2020;9(12)doi:10.3390/antiox9121229