Brahmi - The miracle elixir of life

Common names: Indian penny wort (English); Mandookaparani (Sanskrit); Brahmi (Hindi); Vondelaga (Kannada); Saraswataku (Telugu); Vallarai, Yoshanavalli (Tamil); Kodangal (Malayalam).

Latin name: Centella (Derived from “centum” referring to the profusely branched and intertwining leaves and branches).

Brahmi is a prostrate, perennial herb, with slender, creeping stem, and rounded, smooth-textured leaves. Brahmi has been in use as a herb for thousands of years in India, China, and Indonesia.  Although historically Brahmi has been used to treat a variety of ailments ranging from wound-healing to fever, Brahmi's greatest benefit comes from its established role as a “brain tonic” - several studies have demonstrated Brahmi's ability to boost memory and intelligence, ease anxiety, enhance nerve health, prevent/delay cognitive impairment associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and promote wound healing.
A recent Thai study to determine the neuroprotective effect of Brahmi concluded that treating patients with Brahmi extract may be an alternative direction for ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. This study also showed that Brahmi promotes survival of neuronal (nerve) cells. In another study conducted in Kerala, India, Brahmi was found to be significantly effective in alleviating anxiety-related disorders, stress, and depression. This study also showed that treatment with Brahmi showed a significant improvement in cognition. In yet another study Brahmi at doses of 500–750 mg/day significantly improved health-related quality of life (HQOL) in elderly patients when given as a supplement for 90 days.

The antioxidant and DNA-protective properties of Brahmi were confirmed in a study conducted at the Texas University College of Medicine, Texas, USA. This study demonstrated that Brahmi acts as a powerful antioxidant to prevent damage to the DNA of nerve cells in patients with Alzheimer's disease4.
These contemporary studies only confirm what ayurveda has always maintained - Brahmi is a herbal brain tonic that helps rejuvenate the nerve cells and overcome the negative effects of stress and anxiety.

To summarize, the key benefits of Brahmi include:

• A positive role in enhancing mental alertness and cognition
• Effective in inducing calmness and reduce stress and anxiety
• Effective adjuvant in the management of degenerative nerve disorders such as Alzheimer's disease
• Effective antioxidant that prevents DNA damage of nerve cells
• Beneficial as an adjuvant in depression-related problems
• Useful adjuvant in treating insomnia (inability to fall asleep during the night)

1. Limpeanchob N, et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;120(1):112-7.
2. Jana U, et al. Nepal Med Coll J. 2010 Mar;12(1):8-11.
3. Mato L, et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Oct 30. [Epub ahead of print].
4. Dhanasekaran M, et al. Phytother Res. 2009 Jan;23(1):14-9.

B.V. Pundit's Amlaka Rasayana - an unique lehyam (confection)

B.V.Pundit's Amalaka Rasayana is a one of its kind lehyam (confection). What makes it  different from other lehyams’ is that it is traditionally made conforming fully to the guidelines laid out in the Charaka Samhita - unarguably the most authoritative text on ayurveda. It has all the properties that a traditionally made lehyam should have: (1) Stringy consistency and non-sticky nature: you can easily roll it into a ball and leave a perfect thumb impression (2) Distinctive properties of the ingredients that go into making the lehyam: smell, colour and taste. B.V.Pundit's Amalaka Rasayana can be taken as a preventive as well as a curative lehyam by people of all age groups. Made from organically grown amla, it is a rich source of Vitamin C and hence is good for all ages as a rejuvenator and health tonic. In the elderly it is known to effectively control vertigo and hypertension (elevated blood pressure-BP).

Neem - The blood purifier

If there is one medicinal plant that can be truly called “versatile” then it is the neem plant-it is perhaps the most useful traditional medicinal plant in India. Commonly known as the margosa tree, the scientific name for the neem tree is Azadirachta indica. As the name suggests (indica), the neem tree is indigenous to India.  Almost every part of the neem tree finds a place in traditional medicine.

Neem is known to be useful in relieving piles, intestinal worms, blood morbidity (removes toxins from the blood and enhances blood flow to the various parts of the body), itching, and skin diseases like ring worm, scabies, wound and skin ulcers. Neem is also a natural antibacterial, antifungal, and antifungal and therefore protects against infections.
Studies have also shown that neem has a chemopreventive (ability to protect against cancer) property. The study conducted at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi showed that neem significantly inhibits cancer tumours and can be used effectively as part of a preventive strategy for various diseases including cancer.
Refs:
1. Biswas K, et al. Current Science. 2002;82(11):1336-45.
2. Dasgupta T, et al. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;92(1):23-36.

Cinnamon - The “spice” of life

Cinnamon is probably the world’s oldest known spice. In the olden days cinnamon was highly prized, not only for its preservative qualities but also for its medicinal properties. Medieval physicians used cinnamon to treat sore throat, coughing and hoarseness of voice. Recent studies have shown that cinnamon provides a range of health benefits including a proven role in reducing the risk of heart diseases and managing type-2 diabetes.
Native to the South Asian region, Cinnamon derives its name from the arabic term amomon, meaning “fragrant spice” The unique health-giving properties of cinnamon come from the essential oils found in the bark of the cinnamon tree.
Cinnamon is one herb that has been studied extensively and these studies have confirmed its value in the management of type-II diabetes and heart disease. In an European study conducted to determine the effect of cinnamon on fasting glucose levels, results showed that daily supplementation with cinnamon significantly improved fasting glucose levels and enhanced insulin sensitivity. In another study sixty people with diabetes were treated with 1, to 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form daily. After 40 days, fasting blood-sugar levels were reduced by 18 to 29%, triglycerides (a type of cholesterol) by 23 to 30%, LDL (bad) cholesterol by 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26%.
In another recent study conducted in 2009, in patients who were either overweight or obese with impaired fasting glucose tolerance, daily cinnamon supplementation helps reduce the risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease. Several other studies have further demonstrated the efficacy of cinnamon supplementation in the management of type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
On the basis of current evidence, it can safely be concluded that daily intake of cinnamon is an important value addition in the management of type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
Refs:
1. Hlebowicz J, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1552-6.
2. Khan A, et al. Diabetes Care. 2003; 26(12)”3215-8.