3 replies to this topic

[LiquidGib]

I'm looking to improve my memory through ayurvedic herbs. I have been thinking of starting with a Bacopa monnieri and Gotu Kola combination. That way I can have more control and see the effects before potentially adding others to the mix. I often see other herbs like Shankhapushpi and Ashwagandha used together with the above for example Mental Clarity by Banyan Botanicals. Has anyone tried this product. It has a bunch of herbs to support "mental performance, including memory, concentration, and learning capacity". Would it be better to start off with a blend like this where the ratios are worked out already?

[Galaxyshock]

Gotu Kola is a good start, it should start working rather fast and has similar benefits as Bacopa, which takes usually few weeks to kick in. Combining the two is in my opinion sort of unnecessary although nothing wrong with it. Ginkgo + Gotu Kola is an old nootropic formula, you might wanna try that if you like GK.

 

Holy Basil as a tea is another favourite of mine. Ashwagandha is a strong herb too worth experimenting with.

 

Anyway, I would start with one herb and see how the effects feel and then consider adding something. Usually herbs combine rather well and won't get you in trouble.

 

What you might want to watch out though is to not combine for example several acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or substances that lower blood sugar.

Edited by Galaxyshock, 30 December 2014 - 12:14 PM.

[BieraK]

And Nardosinone from nardostachys jatamansi?

Here is a report
http://www.longecity...ndpost&p=505142

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Nardosinone

Nardosinone is a sesquiterpene and chemical constituent of Nardostachys jatamansi.^[1] In in vitro studies, the compound has demonstrated concentration-dependent enhancement of bucladesine and staurosporine-induced neuriteoutgrowth.^[2] Nardosinone has similarly been demonstrated to enhance NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis from PC12D cells.^[3]

Additionally, nardosinone has demonstrated cytotoxic activity against cultured P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cells.^[4]

 

 

Bucladesine

Spoiler

Bucladesine is a cyclic nucleotide derivative which mimics the action of endogenous cAMP and is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor.

Bucladesine is a cell permeable cAMP analog. The compound is used in a wide variety of research applications because it mimics cAMP and can induce normal physiological responses when added to cells in experimental conditions. cAMP is only able to elicit minimal responses in these situations.

The neurite outgrowth instigated by bucladesine in cell cultures has been shown to be enhanced by nardosinone.

 

Perhaps a forskolin+jatamansi stack for neurogenesis?
 

http://www.plosone.o...al.pone.0091260

 

Nardosinone Improves the Proliferation, Migration and Selective Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Neural Stem Cells
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the impact of Nardosinone, a bioactive component in Nardostachys root, on the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. The neural stem cells were isolated from cerebrums of embryonic day 14 CD1 mice. The proliferation of cells was monitored using the cell counting kit-8 assay, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and cell cycle analysis. Cell migration and differentiation were investigated with the neurosphere assay and cell specific markers, respectively. The results showed that Nardosinone promotes cells proliferation and increases cells migration distance in a dose-dependent manner. Nardosinone also induces the selective differentiation of neural stem cells to neurons and oligodendrocytes, as indicated by the expression of microtubule-associated protein-2 and myelin basic protein, respectively. Nardosinone also increases the expression of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phospho-cAMP response element binding protein during proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, this study reveals the regulatory effects of Nardosinone on neural stem cells, which may have significant implications for the treatment of brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/14604758

Nardosinone, the first enhancer of neurite outgrowth-promoting activity of staurosporine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP in PC12D cells.
Li P1, Matsunaga K, Yamakuni T, Ohizumi Y. Abstract  

Nardosinone was isolated as an enhancer of nerve growth factor (NGF) from Nardostachys chinensis [Neurosci. Lett. 273 (1999) 53]. Nardosinone (0.1-100 microM) enhanced dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP, 0.3 mM)- and staurosporine (10 nM)-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12D cells in a concentration-dependent manner. PD98059 (20 microM), a potent mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase inhibitor, partially blocked enhancements of dbcAMP (0.3 mM)- or staurosporine (10 nM)-induced neurite outgrowth by nardosinone. Nardosinone alone had no effect on the phosphorylation of MAP kinase. The dbcAMP-induced increase in phosphorylation of MAP kinase was not affected by nardosinone. Staurosporine almost unaffected the phosphorylation of MAP kinase, and nardosinone potentiated the staurosporine-induced neurite outgrowth without stimulation of the phosphorylation of MAP kinase. Since it is known that MAP kinase signaling is required for neurite outgrowth in PC12D cells, these results suggest that nardosinone enhances staurosporine- or dbcAMP-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12D cells, probably by amplifying both the MAP kinase-dependent and -independent signaling pathways of dbcAMP and staurosporine. It is also suggested that nardosinone enhances a downstream step of MAP kinase in the MAP kinase-dependent signaling pathway. Nardosinone is the first enhancer of the neuritogenic action of dbcAMP and staurosporine and may become a useful pharmacological tool for studying the mechanism of action of not only NGF but also both the neuritogenic substances

 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/14501162

Nardosinone enhances nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth in a mitogen-activated protein kinase- and protein kinase C-dependent manner in PC12D cells.

Li P1, Yamakuni T, Matsunaga K, Kondo S, Ohizumi Y.
Abstract

The mechanism to enhance nerve growth factor (NGF, 2 ng/ml)-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12D cells by nardosinone isolated from Nardostachys chinensis was examined. It was shown that the potentiation of the NGF-induced neurite outgrowth by nardosinone was mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-dependent, but was not accompanied by stimulation of NGF-induced increase in MAP kinase phosphorylation. Furthermore, this augmentation of NGF-induced neurite outgrowth was abolished by GF109203X, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. These results suggest that the enhancement of NGF-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12D cells by nardosinone involves activation of a down-stream step of the MAP kinase-dependent cascade of NGF coupled with PKC.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Arsonista, 04 January 2015 - 09:10 PM.

[LiquidGib]

Very interesting. I have not seen a lot about Jatamansi when looking specifically for memory enhancement but those few studies make it sound promising. But it looks like it is one of those herbs that is threatened with extinction due to too much unsustainable harvesting.