Herb module
Brahmi
True BrahmiBacopa monnieri
A cooling Ayurvedic brain tonic, used for clear thinking, a steady nervous system, calm emotions, and restful sleep.
Brahmi comes from Ayurvedic medicine, where it has been revered for ages as a tonic for the brain. It sits outside the Chinese Materia Medica, and Zoi brings it into Brain + Mood | Xýlo™ alongside Chinese herbs to support memory, focus, and a settled mind. In Traditional Chinese Medicine language, Zoi describes it as cooling and tonifying to Brain Qi.
Best functions
- Traditionally used to strengthen memory, learning, and other cognitive functions
- Used to balance the nervous system and support emotional calm and stability
- Used to improve the quality of sleep
- Its cooling nature is traditionally used to benefit the joints, Blood, hair, and skin
- Research has looked at its role in helping the nervous system clear heavy metals and other toxins
Fascinating facts
- Brahmi has no place in the classical Chinese Materia Medica. It comes from Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine, where it has long been honored as a brain tonic.
- Practitioners who bring brahmi into Traditional Chinese Medicine describe it as a cooling herb that tonifies 'Brain Qi', the vital energy that keeps the mind bright.
- The name "brahmi" is also sometimes used for gotu kola, another Ayurvedic brain herb. That is why Bacopa is often called "True Brahmi" to tell the two apart. Zoi uses both herbs in Xýlo™.
- Studies suggest brahmi may support verbal learning, information processing, and memory, even in older adults. Zoi credits compounds called bacosides with encouraging nerve cells to grow new branches.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
Brahmi is cooling in nature, with a sweet and bitter flavor. In modern practice it is treated as a tonic herb.
Biomedical deep dive
Brahmi True Brahmi
From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.
On the fact sheet
- Brahmi (True Brahmi, Bacoba monnieri) is not included in the Chinese Materia Medica but has been revered for ages as a brain tonic in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used to strengthen cognitive functions, balances the nervous system, supports emotional stability and calm, and improves sleep quality. It is cooling and can benefit joints, blood, hair, and skin. Brain + Mood | Xýlo sheet
Key active constituents
The fact sheets don’t name constituents for this herb.
Pharmacology and mechanisms
- Brahmi is one of the Xýlo herbs with strong anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective (nerve-protecting) properties in many studies.
- Brahmi has displayed nervous system detoxification effects, meaning removal of heavy metals and other toxins.
- Bacosides (its key compounds) enhance synaptic transmission (nerve-to-nerve signaling) and promote dendritic branching (growth of nerve-cell connections). Noa’s notes
- Cognitive enhancement in RCTs, including verbal learning and memory in adults and ADHD benefits in children. Noa’s notes
- Neuroprotective and detoxifying: removes heavy metals and neurotoxins; crosses the blood-brain barrier without toxic effects. Noa’s notes
- Anxiolytic (calming) and antidepressant through serotonin, dopamine and GABA modulation. Noa’s notes
- Anti-inflammatory through NF-κB inhibition (a master switch for inflammation). Noa’s notes
What the research says
- Clinical evidence shows brahmi may improve verbal learning, information processing and memory, even in older adults (Fatima et al., Front Nutr 2022).
- Brahmi has also displayed benefits in children with ADHD symptoms (Fatima et al., Front Nutr 2022).
- Along with gotu kola, it is an Ayurvedic herb renowned for revitalizing the brain and nerves (Fatima et al., Front Nutr 2022).
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Every Zoi fact sheet: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding unless directed by your health care practitioner.
- The Brain + Mood | Xýlo fact sheet advises anyone with a medical condition or taking medication to consult their doctor before use.
- Avoid in hypothyroidism (low thyroid) without medical supervision. Noa’s notes
- Caution in pregnancy. Noa’s notes
In these Zoi formulas
- Brain + Mood | Xýlo (#5 on the fact sheet)
