Singh and Dhawan showed that Bacopa improved learning in a shock-motivated brightness discrimination task and attenuated memory deficits induced by the administration of various neurotoxins.3 Preclinical work suggests that Bacopa’s mechanisms
of action on the central nervous system are varied and include antioxidant activity (across various Bacopa extracts), 4–7 b-amyloid scavenging properties (Bacopa ethanol extract: 40 or 160 mg/kg orally),8 protection against bamyloid-induced cell death (Bacopa ethanol extract administered to cultured neurons),9 modulation of frontocortical and hippocampal acetylcholine levels (5–10 mg/kg Bacopa extract
administered to animal models of Alzheimer disease),10 and