{
  "slug": "bacopa",
  "name": "Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri / Brahmi)",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Bacopa monnieri",
    "Brahmi",
    "Bacosides A & B",
    "Bacoside A3",
    "BacoMind",
    "CDRI 08",
    "KeenMind",
    "Synapsa",
    "Bacumen"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition enhancing cholinergic transmission (preclinical mechanism; not demonstrated as a clinical cognition driver in humans)",
    "Monoamine / neurotransmitter modulation (proposed up-regulation of 5-HT, dopamine and GABA tone in preclinical models)",
    "Antioxidant free-radical scavenging by bacoside triterpenoid saponins (SOD/CAT/GPx up-regulation in animal models; limited direct human evidence)",
    "Dendritic arborization / synaptic and BDNF-pathway neurotrophic signaling (preclinical)",
    "NF-kB inhibition with reduced TNF-alpha / IL-6 (preclinical anti-inflammatory mechanism, not a validated human anti-inflammatory claim)"
  ],
  "target": [
    "Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)",
    "5-HT / dopamine / GABA systems",
    "BDNF / synaptic plasticity pathway",
    "Oxidative stress markers",
    "NF-kB / TNF-alpha / IL-6",
    "Cytochrome P450 (CYP1A2 / CYP3A4)"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "memory / learning test performance (research-context · 8-12 wk standardized extract)",
    "attention / cognitive processing-speed markers (research-context)",
    "daily stress / anxiety symptom scales (research-context · STAI, cortisol reactivity)",
    "healthy-aging cognitive markers in older adults (research-context · non-disease)",
    "mechanistic neuroprotective / antioxidant narrative (preclinical · human-direct evidence limited)"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "NEURO",
    "MOOD",
    "IMMUNE"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "A",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 3,
  "dosage_range": "300 mg/day standardized extract (bacosides >=45%, e.g. BacoMind/CDRI 08/Synapsa) for 8-12 weeks is the most-validated cognitive/stress regimen; acute multitasking studies tested 320-640 mg single doses; DSLD market median 300 mg (range 250-700 mg). Educational reference, not a dosing recommendation. Cognition is slow-onset — most RCTs show effects only at 8-12 weeks.",
  "safety_notes": "Generally well tolerated in RCTs up to ~12 weeks; Phase I safety study (BacoMind 300 mg/day x 30 days, PMID 17442556) confirmed good tolerability. Most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal (nausea, cramping, increased stool frequency/diarrhea, ~10-15%) — taking with food is reported to reduce GI upset. Thyroid signal: animal data show up-regulation of T4, so caution / clinician consultation advised in hyperthyroidism. Drug-interaction signal: in-vitro inhibition of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 (PMID 24566323) — caution with drugs metabolized by these enzymes and with sedative / anxiolytic / antidepressant co-medication. Pediatric (ADHD) evidence is very limited (single small RCT, n=31) and not a basis for marketing to children. No adequate pregnancy / lactation data.",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "DSHEA dietary supplement (marketed under NDI / self-determined dietary-ingredient status; no independent FDA GRAS no-questions letter — GRN 0); standardized branded extracts (Synapsa/PS-BM, BacoMind, CDRI 08/KeenMind, Bacumen) sold legally. Structure/function claims only with mandatory FDA disclaimer; disease claims (Alzheimer/dementia/ADHD/epilepsy treatment) prohibited.",
    "efsa": "No authorized EFSA health claim for Bacopa monnieri — its botanical Art.13 cognitive/memory claims remain on the EFSA on-hold list (pending, never finalised), not formally absent. Sold via the Traditional Herbal Medicine / Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) route in member states under traditional-use claims only; member-state rules differ.",
    "anvisa": "Registrable under RDC 243/2018 as fitoterapico (herbal medicine) or food supplement, requiring submitted safety and efficacy data; approval pathway is comparatively complex, especially for standardized-extract quality control. No Anexo V alegacao funcional for Bacopa."
  },
  "authorized_claims": [],
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/bacopa/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "cognitive-support"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "high-stress"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}