Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
hepatoprotective activity and are used in traditional medicines for the treat-
ment of liver damage (hepatitis).
BACOPA MONNIERA
L. PENNELL
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Common name: Water hyssop
Distribution: India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Florida, Hawaii
Habitat: Wetlands, meadows looded with water, damp and marshy places,
shallow waters, brackish waters
Description: It is a small, creeping herb with small, oblong succulent and thick
leaves with small light purple or white lowers of four to ive petals each.
This plant is propagated by cuttings.
Compounds and activities: The compounds isolated from this species are
3-O-stigmasterol-(6-O-palmitoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside, bacopsides IX,
I, and IV G, bacoparasaponins A, B, C, and D, and 1-octan-3-O-β-D-
glucopyranoside, which possess antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipyretic, anal-
gesic, and antioxidative properties. It is an ayurvedic plant used for nervous
and skin orders. The extracts of this plant are considered to be brain tonic,
for epileptic and anxiety disorders, besides curing bronchitis, asthma,
bowel syndrome gastric disorders, and improving respiratory and intel-
lectual activities. Its antioxidative properties have been reported to protect
certain types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Kaushik et al. (2009)
have found that the alcoholic extract of this species could be a potent anti-
convulsant drug.
