Natural Remedies for Brain Health

Women with Breast Cancer Have Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation | HealthSoul

The brain is the most vital organ in our body. It has the power to control other organelles activity also. A range of disorders related to the brain negatively affects our whole physiological system. Some most commonly brain-related disorders like depression and anxiety are the outcome of our stressful lifestyle and very common nowadays; whereas Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, etc. are progressive brain disorders and provide a fatal outcome. Ayurveda or other traditional folks medicinal system usually based on natural remedies and century before therapeutic benefits of different natural substances are evaluated by our ancestors. It has been quite surprising that after the advancement of synthetic medication a few decades before, natural remedies become outdated. But gradually people become aware of long-term side effect burden associated with synthetic medications and gradually shift to natural remedies. 

Natural remedies for maintaining the brain health and preserving the normal brain functioning is always a wise decision, as any synthetic medication-induced side effect on the brain can cause long-term ailment. But it is advisable to use natural remedies as a preventive measure or at the early interventional stage, as Treating brain disorders by using different natural remedial substances work gradually to rectify the underlying cause and unable to provide immediate remarkable benefits. Following are some herbs have multiple benefits to improve brain health and effective to treat different brain-related disorders.

Migraine

Migraine is a clinical condition characterized by tingle like sensation followed by an intense headache on the temporal nerve of the brain which is situated at the side of the head.

Achyranthes aspera

The English name of this herb is Prickly chaff flower, which belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. Phytochemical present in this herb includes oleanolic acid, glycosides, and amino acids. A migraine is a very common brain health disorder, which often decreases the quality of life of the patient. Along with a headache, stiffness in the brain is a common problem associated with a migraine. Experts recommended inhalation of the powder of this plant seeds help to reduce stiffness and headache associated with a migraine.

Brassica nigra

This herb is also known as Black mustard and belongs to the Brassicaceae family. Gallic acid, quercetin are two major phytochemical presents in this herb. Topical application of this herbal seeds powder paste provides a relaxing effect in migraine pain. The oil extracted from this plant seeds can also use for massage to reduce fatigue and laziness.

Calotropis procera 

This herb is also known as Madar or Swallow-wort. This herb belongs to Asclepiadaceae family and Tetrahydro cannabinoids are the major phytochemical present in this herb. Shade-dried yellow leaves of this plant mixed with cardamom, camphor, and peppermint are used as inhalation therapy to subside the migraine pain.

Cassia tora

This herb is also known as Ringworm plant belongs to Caesalpiniaceae family contains Celapanin and Celapanigin triglycerides as major phytochemicals able to control migraine pain by applying the seeds of this plant powder on the forehead.

Caesalpinia bonduc

This herb is commonly known as Fever nut and contains a number of active constituents like Hematoxylol, Ursane, stereochenol A, triterpenoids. This herb belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family. In Ayurveda, the seed oil administered through nasal route is effective to treat a severe headache.

Clitorea ternatea

The English name of this plant is Butterfly pea and belongs to Papilionaceae family. Inositol and hirsutene are two active ingredients present in this plant. Experts recommended to make a paste with an equal quantity of root and seeds of this plant and apply this paste in the nasal route (in Ayurveda, the route of the treatment is named as “Nasya” can provide reliving effect of migraine pain.

Eclipta alba

Trailing eclipta is the English name of this plant and belongs to Asteraceae family. This plant contains wedelolactone and glycoside. Combination of the juice of these herbs with black pepper powder application on the forehead gives a pain-relieving effect on the migraine.

Memory booster

The healthy brain is essential to perform cognitive functioning. There are different reasons which cause memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia associated with progressive memory loss due to a lack of acetylcholine neurotransmitter. Following herbs act as a memory booster.

Acorus calamus 

This herb is also known as Sweet flag root, belongs to the Araceae family. β-Asarone and α-asarone are two major phytochemical presents in this herb. The bark of the powder enhances memory and cures forgetfulness.

Bacopa monnieri

English of this herb isIndian pennywort, which belongs to the Plantaginaceae family.  Bacosides A, B, C are primary active constituents present in this herb. The juice of this plant leaves is very useful to restore memory power.

Celastrus paniculatus

The English name of this herb is Black oil plant and belongs to Celastraceae. The bioactive phytochemical present in this herb is Asiaticosides. Experts recommended a combination of this herb with almond, cardamom powder, and pepper can improve memory.

Convolvulus microphyllus

This is a very traditional herbal medicine commonly known as Shankhapushpi, which belongs to Convolvulaceae. Convoline and convolamine are two active ingredients present in this herb. The powder of Shankhapushpi taken with milk or honey and clarified butter is a useful remedy to boost memory power.

Ficus benghalensis

This is a very common tree known as the Banyan tree, which belongs to the Moraceae family. The different phytochemical present in this tree is Bengalenosides, Leucopelargonidin glycoside. The recommended dosage form is mix root bark powder with cow milk and sugar helps to improve memory power.

Hibiscus rosasinensis

This herb is popularly known as China rose. Make a powder by taking dried leaves and flowers of this plant and ingest with milk and honey able to improve memory power. Cyanidin and quercetin are two active ingredients of this plant. This herb belongs to the Lythraceae family.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotional behavior usually triggered by situational aspect and occurs in a range of disorders.

Passiflora incarnata Linn. 

This is commonly known as Passionflower and in a folk medicinal system widely used as the anxiolytic agent. Combination of Passionflower with crataegus oxyacantha, ballota foetida, valeriana officinalis, cola nitida, and paullinia cupana is useful to treat anxious mood and adjustment disorders.

Sida cordifolia

Country mallow is the common name of this herb, which belongs to the Malvaceae family. Sidasterone A and B are two active ingredients present in this herb and improve brain health. The combination with Chaff-flower (Achyranthes aspera), this herb is recommended to control anxiety disorder. The expert suggested a combination of these two herbs boil with milk for a few minutes till the products become concentrated and then drink the mixture to get the mental calming effect.

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder and cognitive functioning and normal thought process become hampered in severe cases due to an increased level of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.

Hypericum perforatum L

This herb is popularly known as St. John’s Wort. It is effective to treat mild to moderate depression. This herb contains a number of bioactive phytochemicals including polycyclic phenols, hypericin and pseudohypericin and many more. Among these several phytochemicals, Hypericin also may act as serotonin reuptake inhibitor and also inhibits norepinephrine, and dopamine. It also blocks stress hormone cortisol release and reduces stress-induced depression. The recommended dose of this herb is 900 mg to 1800 mg per day. This dose needs to divide twice or thrice a day.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neuronal disorder affects the brain by discharging high-frequency impulses.  Convulsion is a characteristic feature of this disease condition.

Adhatoda zeylanica

The common name of this herb is Malabar nut. Vasicine, vasicinone are two active constituents present in this herb. The powder of this herb mixing with honey has curative effect against epilepsy.

Anacyclus pyrethrum

Pellitory is a common name of this herb and it contains Pyrethrin as an active ingredient. This herb belongs to Asteraceae family and decoction of this herb can use to control epileptic attacks.

Benincasa hispida

The common name of this herb is Wintermelon and belongs to Cucurbitaceae family. Multiflorenol and its acetate are active constituents present in this herb and provide brain health improvement. Experts recommended Combination of this herbal juice with Liquorice provide therapeutic benefits against epilepsy.

Cyperus scariosus

Nutgrass is the common name of this herb, which contains cyperene, Patchouli alcohol as active constituents. This herb belongs to Cyperaceae and experts recommended nutgrass with cow milk gives effective result against epilepsy.

Sapindus mukorossi

Soapnut tree is the common name of this herb, which belongs to Sapindaceae. Triterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, saponin, and glycosides are different active constituents present in this herb. Regular inhalation of the whole seeds powder containing kernel and peel effective to treat epilepsy completely.

Parkinson’s disease

The progressive neuronal disorder causes uncontrolled shivering of the body parts.

Mucuna pruriens

Velvet bean is the common name of this herb, which belongs to the Valerianaceae family. L-DOPA, amines, and alkaloids are active constituents present in this herb. The researcher found that this herb is effective to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Sphaeranthus indicus

The English name of this herb is East Indian globe thistle, which belongs to Asteraceae. This herb contains active constituents like sterols, sesquiterpenoids. A mixture of this herbal powder with clove powder and honey is given to treat Parkinson’s disease.

References