brahmi and manic-depression

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

I have heard that it is contra-indicated to use brahmi on anyone who suffers

from manic depression.

Is this always the case, and does anyone know if it exacerbates the symptoms?

Or why the contraindication.

Thanks in advance,

Radhika

[Guest guest]

its not correct to say that brahmi is contra indicated in manic depression.If u

have some authentic information plz provide the reference for detailed

study.thanks

 

 

> I have heard that it is contra-indicated to use brahmi on anyone who suffers

from manic depression.

> Is this always the case, and does anyone know if it exacerbates the symptoms?

Or why the contraindication.

[Guest guest]

about Manic Depression. anyone familer with the best kind of medication in

Ayurveda

 

Dr Menike.

[Guest guest]

Dear Radhika,

What you heard about brahmi may be from an un authentic source.

Huge studies were conducted all over the world for last few decads.And most of

these studies are fairly supporting the traditional ayurvedic claims.

In ayurveda the condition maniac depression may be compared with a group

of diseases called"UNMADAS".

And Interestengly Brahmi is one of the major drugs of choice in all

types of Unmada.

To support this "Chakradattaa"(an ancient physician) mentions as''

Swarasa(fresh juice) of brahmi with a little powder of kusta(sassuria lappa)

cures unmada without any doubt"

 

So as per the best of my knowledge brahmi is not at all contraindicated in

maniac depressions.Infact Brahmi is well tolerated with no major side-effects

observed in human trials .But care has to be taken regarding the dose,because

the higher doases may produce sedation.

 

The Usual dose(Traditional)

 

Swarasa: 40-50 ml oncce/day

 

Charaka has strictly suggested that'to achieve optimum medhya rasayana effect

it shold be taken in swarasa form'

 

2-10g dried herb/day, or

standardized extract (40% bacosides) 300-500 mg/day.

 

Additional information:

 

Brahmi is the classic Ayurvedic Medhya rasayana( brain

tonic.Immunomodulator,anti-oxident,adaptogenic) . Bacopa supports the nervous

system, particularly the hippocampus in the brain, allowing the body to maintain

old nerve cells and synthesize new ones more quickly. Bacopa is been used to

treat the symptoms associated with depression successfully without the side

effect that are often associated with class of drugs known as SSRI's. This class

includes the popular drugs like Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. Although this class

of drugs has proven to be effective in dealing with depression the side effects

from the drugs can often be unacceptable for many people who are taking the

drugs. Bacopa may well be a wonderful natural alternative for those persons who

cannot tolerate the side effects of these SSRI class of drug. . Bacopa has been

shown to have many of the same benefits of the SSRI without the side effects.

The wonderful action of Bacopa is that while helping to control the symptoms

of depression is also enhances the brains ability to learn and retain

information.

 

 

Herbal Actions:

 

 

 

"Brahmi hima sara tiktaa laghumedhya cha sheetala

 

kashaya madhuraa swadupaka ayuushya rasayanee

 

swarya smritiprada kusta pandu mehasra kasajit

 

visha shotha jwarahareetadwanmadookaparninee"(Bhavaprakasha)

 

 

 

The herb is Kashaya rasa(stringent),tikta rasa (bitter) and and laghu guna and

sheetaveerya(cooling),Madhura vipaka, Medhya(areportedly improves the

intellect). It is used in Ayurveda for the treatment of

Jwara(fever),shotha(oedema),Prameha(Urinery disorders),Pandu(Disease

charecerised by pale skin etc.anaemias,kasa(Cough),kusta(skin

diseases),Swaryaa(promotes a clarity in voice),Smriti pradaa(Improves

memory,(memory booster or memory enhancer)Aayushy(provides long life), and also

vishahara.

 

It is reported to improve the intellect, and acts as anti-anxiety agent. It

also clams restlessness in children and is used in several mental disorders.

 

Vaghbhata stated as"Visamsruteem brahmi" means . In Apasmara(Epilepsy) brahmi is

the best

 

Contraindications:

 

To date, no side effects have been reported with Bacopa.

 

Clinical Research:

 

Brahmi has been shown to improve short and long-term memory. When rats were

trained to run a particular maze pattern and then given brahmi, they were able

to run the maze correctly more often than those receiving a placebo in both the

long and short-term tests. A number of compounds have been identified in brahmi,

including antioxidant terpenoids and bacosides.

 

Recently, an alcohol extract of brahmi was shown to neutralize free radicals in

brain tissue. Compounds in brahmi bind to brain cell receptors to provide

antioxidant protection. The alcohol fraction worked in a manner similar to that

of vitamin E, while a hexane extract of brahmi appeared devoid of the

antioxidant activity. These findings underscore the need to use standardized

extracts in these products. Standardized brahmi extract can contain as much as

50 percent bacopasaponins, the level reportedly contained in products currently

marketed in India.

 

http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/9/1/79.pdf

 

Thanks and warm regards,

 

Dr.Venu Gopal Rao.T

M.D(Ayu)

AGASTHYA AYURVEDIC CENTER

 

 

> I have heard that it is contra-indicated to use brahmi on anyone

> who suffers from manic depression.

> Is this always the case, and does anyone know if it exacerbates

> the symptoms? Or why the contraindication.

[Guest guest]

Dear Radhika,

 

In Ayurveda, there are several types of "Depression". We classify

depression as caused

by Vata, Pitta, Kapha, a mix of these, or all three together (sannipatika).

Although I can

not diagnose the condition in said person, "Manic Depression" is usually a Vata

related

condition. If there are bursts of anger, resentfullness, or jealousy, or if the

person has a

fever, warm liver, diarrhea, or warmth in the body, then there is some Pitta

related cause

also. Can you please share where you recieved this information about Brahmi and

"manic

Depression"?

In treating a vata-type depression, the herb of choice is not Brahmi.

Ashwaganda,

Jatamansi, Vacha (Calamus) and Shanka Pushpi are choice herbs in Vata-type

depression.

However, if it is a Pitta-type depression, Brahmi is most certainly the herb of

choice.

Brahmi cools the Pitta vitiated body-mind, acts as an alterative (blood

cleansing), is

calming and soothing to the liver, and also opens the heart to the Divine

(Brahman)

Brahmi is cooling in nature. If the person suffering from "Manic

Depression" is a Vata-

type person in constitution (Prakruti), and if the depression itself is caused

by Vata, then

Brahmi *may* be contraindicated in my opinion. Contraindicated is too strong a

word-

"not the first choice of herb" is more appropriate. As Brahmi has a cooling

effect, this

cooling can possibly disturb Vata dosha and make the condition worse. Although

most of

my references, and my experience as a practitioner, tell me that Brahmi is

tri-doshic VPK=

(good for all types of people), I can theorize that because of its cool nature,

it can

*possibly* cause the condition of a vata-type depression to worsen.

It is worth mentioning here that there are several plants that are called

"Brahmi". Each

of these have a similar action as a nervine, but they are different plants with

their own

individual properties. So, here, we must ask, "Which Brahmi are we talking

about?" Some

say that Centella asiatica, Bacopa monniera and Hydrocotyle asiatica are all

called

"Brahmi". Which is the true Brahmi is up to the practitioner and how he/she

wishes to use

the herb(s) in the given condition.

Perhaps someone on the forum may know more about the individual natures

(Vipaka,

Virya, Prabava) of these 3 different specific genus-species plants called Brahmi

and can

share more about them for us. It may be that one is cooler than another, or one

can upset

Vata/"Manic Depression", and another genus-species not.

 

 

Best Regards,

 

Tony Rouse

 

 

 

 

 

ayurveda, Cassia Katz <cassia108> wrote:

>

> Hello all,

> I have heard that it is contra-indicated to use brahmi on anyone who suffers

from manic

depression.

> Is this always the case, and does anyone know if it exacerbates the symptoms?

Or why

the contraindication.

> Thanks in advance,

> Radhika

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Radhika;

This is sideways to a response I to would like to hear, as I also

learned from Dr. Saraswati Buhrman her experience with clients and

manic depression. I had a recent conversation with another excellent

ayurvedic practitioner in Chicago who reports good success with this

imbalance, and she does include brahmi in her formulas. SHe trained

extensively with LIght Miller and includes most likely colema bastis,

pk and essential oils therapy. I can give you her contact, email me

privately. It must be about other aspects of the therapy as well.

Martha

 

> Hello all,

> I have heard that it is contra-indicated to use brahmi on anyone who

suffers from manic depression.

> Is this always the case, and does anyone know if it exacerbates the

symptoms? Or why the contraindication.

> Thanks in advance,

> Radhika

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for your responces,

It was my teacher Dr. Sarasvati Burhman who gave me this information on

contraindication, but what prompted me to ask the question, was I was going

through some of her case studies, and saw that she had used brahmi (among other

things) in one particular instance for manic depression and reported good

results, though in general she said that it may cause head aches and other side

effects of which I am unclear.

Thank you all for your valuable feedback.

Radhika