Lots of patients coming to our clinic keep complaining about their child’s poor concentration and memory and ask for herbal medicines to boost their intellectual capacity. Everyone wants to perform better than ever; everyone wants to be first in the race.
Our brain has enormous capacities. Ayurveda has identified it and provided the solution for brain empowerment through various efficient herbs. Today we will discuss about five such herbs which can enhance your brain capacity, increase your memory, concentration, sharpness and other skills.
- Brahmi:
- Latin Name: Centella asiaticaand Bacopa monnieri
- Rasa (taste)- Bitter, sweet
- Virya (action)- Cooling
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect)- Sweet
- Guna (quality)- Light, flowing (sara/laxative)
- Effect on Dosha – Specifically on Vayu
- Prabhava – Anti-psychotic, anti-epileptic
Benefits of Brahmi:
- Calms Vaayu dosha of our body
- Increases intellectual power
- Boosts memory and concentration
- Reduces mental illness
- Useful in Alzheimer’s Disease and epilepsy
- Rejuvenates the nervous system
- Increases longevity
- Gives strength to the mind
- Promotes sleep
- Helps in conditions like depression, stress and anxiety
- Shankhapushpi:
- Latin Name : Convolvulus pluricaulis
- Rasa (Taste): Katu (Bitter), Kashya (Astringent)
- Guna (Properties): Guru (Heavy), Snigdh (Glossy), Pichchila (Sticky)
- Virya (Action): Sheeta (Coolent)
- Vipaka (Post Digestive Effect): Madhur (Sweet)
- Dosha: Balances all the three Doshas
Benefits of Shankhapushpi:
- Reduces stress level and puts brain in a relaxed state.
- It is an Anti – Depressant, and it reduces the effect of toxins in the brain.
- It improves the memory
- Beneficial in epilepsy
- Rejuvenates the nervous system
- Increases the feeling of calmness and promotes good sleep.
- Vacha:
- Latin Name: Acorus calamus
- Rasa (Taste): Katu, Tikta (Pungent and bitter)
- Guna (Quality): Light and Sharp (reaches to the minute body channels quickly)
- Virya (Potency): Hot
- Vipaka (Post digestive effect): Katu (Pungent)
- Effect on Dosha: specifically on Vaayu and Kapha
- Vacha has a strong fragrance, overdose may induce Vomiting
Benefits of Vacha:
- It is very beneficial in speech disorders
- It is helpful in bringing back the normal speech
- Best tonic for nervous system
- Improves memory
- Useful in schizophrenia and epilepsy
- Relieves the digestive disturbance
- Jyotishmati:
- Latin Name: Celastrus paniculata
- Rasa (Taste): Katu, Tikta (Pungent and bitter)
- Guna (Quality): Teekshna (Strong, reaches to the minute body channels quickly)
- Virya (Potency): Hot
- Vipaka (Post digestive effect): Katu (Pungent)
- Effect on Dosha: Balances Vaayu and Kapha
- Jyotishmati is very strong. It should be taken mixed along with Ghee or in encapsulated form. Direct contact may cause blisters in buccal cavity and tongue
Benefits of Jyotishmati
- Very beneficial in epilepsy and mental disorders
- Improves memory and intelligence
- Better for heart
- Useful in anaemia and liver disorders
- Jatamansi:
- Latin Name: Nardostachys jatamansi
- Rasa (Taste): Tikta, Kashaya, Madhura (Bitter, astringent and sweet)
- Guna (Quality): Laghu, Teekshna (Strong, reaches to the minute body channels quickly)
- Virya (Potency): Cold
- Vipaka (Post digestive effect): Katu (Pungent)
- Effect on Dosha: Balances Pitta and Kapha
Uses of Jatamansi:
- It is very useful in sleep disorders.
- Induces sleep
- Very effective in neuro-psychiatric conditions
- Very effective in mental illness
- Useful in stress and anxiety
- Useful in Headache and Migraine
- Improves memory and concentration
- Good for certain skin diseases
- Increases immunity and intelligence
How to get these herbs?
All the said herbs are easily available in the form of tablets, powders, capsules, syrups, ghee formulation etc. it should be taken in proper dosage after consulting your Ayurveda physician.