Effect of Bacopa monniera Linn. (brahmi) extract on avoidance responses in rat

Brahmi (Bacopa monniera Linn.) is a reputed nerve tonic in Ayurvedic literature. Hence its effects on the learning performance of rats have been studied in different conditioning schedules by administering an aqueous suspension of an alcoholic extract (40 mg/kg, p.o.) for three or more days. The first schedule induced a labile behaviour using a shock-motivated brightness-discrimination reaction. The brahmi-treated group showed better acquisition, improved retention and delayed extinction (p is less than 0.01-0.05). Similarly, in an active conditioned flight reaction, the drug-treated animals showed a shorter reaction time than the controls (p less than 0.01). Also in the continuous avoidance response the drug-treated group performed better than the controls (p less than 0.01-0.05). Our findings are in conformity with the Ayurvedic claims and indicate that Bacopa monniera can improve the performance of rats in various learning situations.