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bacopa monnieri

Bacopa Monnieri is a dietary supplement.

Generic

Not yet rated· sourced from the FDA label
Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated June 23, 2026·How we rate
Verified againstopenFDANIH DailyMedRxClass
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Key facts

Active ingredient
Bacopa Monnieri
Type
Supplement

What is Bacopa Monnieri?

From the FDA label:An Ayurvedic herb studied for memory and cognitive support.

What the evidence says

Limited evidence

What Bacopa Monnieri is

Bacopa monnieri (also called brahmi or water hyssop) is a creeping wetland herb with a long history of use in Ayurvedic traditional medicine, now sold as a dietary supplement in capsules, tablets, or powders, often standardized to plant compounds called bacosides. NCCIH includes bacopa in its overview of natural products that have been studied for ADHD symptoms, and it is one of the botanicals associated with Ayurvedic practice. Being studied is not the same as being proven effective.

Commonly used for

Marketed for memory and learning supportMarketed for attention and focusHas been studied for ADHD symptomsUsed in traditional Ayurvedic practicePromoted for general cognitive or "brain health"

What the evidence shows

Rigorous evidence is limited. NCCIH notes that bacopa is among the natural products that have been studied for ADHD symptoms, but cautions that most of these studies were small and had methodological problems, so they do not establish that it works. No current NIH Office of Dietary Supplements or NCCIH consumer fact sheet confirms that bacopa reliably improves memory, attention, or any health condition. Claims of a cognitive benefit should therefore be treated as unproven.

Typical dosage

There is no government-established recommended dose for bacopa, and product strength varies widely because supplements are not standardized or approved by the FDA the way prescription medicines are. Because authoritative sources do not endorse a specific amount, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting bacopa, and tell all of your health care providers about any supplement you take so your care stays coordinated.

Safety

Authoritative safety data specific to bacopa are limited. A broader concern flagged by NCCIH is that some Ayurvedic herbal products have been found to contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, or arsenic in amounts that can be harmful, and the FDA warns that the presence of metals in some Ayurvedic preparations makes them potentially harmful; where possible, choose products tested by reputable independent third parties. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children, and anyone with a health condition or taking medication should consult a clinician before use.

Side effects

Government sources do not publish a detailed side-effect profile for bacopa specifically. As with many botanical supplements, digestive upset such as nausea, cramping, or diarrhea is sometimes reported anecdotally by users, but this is not documented in an authoritative consumer fact sheet for bacopa. Stop use and seek medical advice if you have an unusual or serious reaction.

Interactions & cautions

Reliable, bacopa-specific interaction data from government sources are limited. Because herbal supplements can interact with prescription and over-the-counter drugs, NCCIH advises telling all of your health care providers about every complementary product you use so they can check for possible interactions. Take particular care if you use medications for the brain or nervous system, heart, thyroid, or other chronic conditions, and confirm with a clinician or pharmacist.

Sources

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Summarized from public health authorities; general reference, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed healthcare professional before starting any supplement.

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Information is sourced from public FDA regulatory data. Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.

What people report to the FDA about Bacopa Monnieri

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 22 reports naming Bacopa Monnieri, and the FDA flagged 86% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

  • hypertension3 reports
  • anaemia2 reports
  • anxiety2 reports
  • depression2 reports
  • abdominal pain1 reports
  • acute sinusitis1 reports
  • akathisia1 reports
  • amnesia1 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean Bacopa Monnieri caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved September 25, 2026.

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