The Effects of a Bacopa monnieri Extract (Bacumen

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesBacopa monnieri is a plant used in Ayurvedic medicine with traditional uses for memory and cognitive function. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplementation with a Bacopa monnieri extract (Bacumen STUDY

designTwo-arm, 12-week, parallel-group, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

methodsOverall, 101 volunteers aged 40-70 years with self-reported memory and attention problems were supplemented with 300 mg daily of a Bacopa monnieri extract (Bacumen

resultsOf the 101 participants randomized, 87 participants completed the study, 47 in the placebo group and 40 in the Bacopa monnieri group. On the basis of complete data collected from 87 participants, there were no between-group differences in changes in the primary outcome measures comprising verbal learning (p = 0.391), attention (p = 0.713), and working memory (p = 0.610). However, in the Bacopa-supplemented participants, there were greater reductions in overall self-reported stress reactivity (p = 0.03); and fatigue and stress levels after exposure to a cognitive-demanding computer task (secondary outcome measures). There were no group differences in changes in blood concentrations of measured markers. Bacopa monnieri supplementation was generally well-tolerated, with no serious adverse reactions, although there was a greater frequency of self-reported adverse reactions in the Bacopa monnieri group (p = 0.024), primarily comprising digestive complaints and headaches.

conclusionsThe results from this study indicate that compared with the placebo, Bacopa monnieri supplementation for 12 weeks did not result in greater improvements in cognitive performance. However, stress reduction and anti-fatigue effects were identified, which requires investigation in future trials. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)-ACTRN12623000475640.