Distribution:
Commonly growing in marshy places throughout India, ascending to an altitude of 1,320 m.

Habit:
A small, creeping herb, its stems are obtuse-angular; the leaves are short-petioled, cuneate to obovate; the capsules are ovoid. It can be easily grown in damp areas and can be propagated by seed and also vegetatively.

Principle constituents:
The herb contains the alkaloids brahmine, herpestine and a mixture of three bases.

Indications:
The entire plant consitutes the well-known drug Brahmi. It is astringent, bitter and cooling, and, is reported to improve the intellect. It is used in indigenous systems of medicine for the treatment of asthma, hoarseness, insanity, epilepsy and as a potent nerve tonic, cardiotonic and diuretic. A clinical report showed that this drug is an anti-anxiety agent having adaptogenic effect. It exhibits a barbiturate hypnosis-potentiating effect in albino rats. The leaves are also useful as a diuretic and aperient.

Product range:
Mentat