Study 1
Design
The efficacy of memory Plus™, a formulation containing bacosides, was determined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Thirty-six children (mean age: 8.3 years in the bacopa-treated group, 9.3 years in the placebo group; male: female ratio 5:1 in the Bacopa group and 3:1 in the placebo group) participated in the trial. Nineteen subjects received the bacopa preparation (50 mg twice a day for 12 weeks), and 17 subjects received the placebo. Active drug treatment was followed by 4 weeks of placebo treatment, making the total time period of the study as 16 weeks.
Results
The children were evaluated based on personal information, mental control, sentence repetition, logical memory, word recall (meaningful and non-meaningful), digit span test, delayed response learning, picture recall and paired-associate learning before drug administration and after 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks.
Study 2
Design
An ayurvedic formulation (containing Bacopa monnieri, Centella asiatica, Asparagus racemosus, Acorus calamus, Celastrus paniculatus and Xanthium strumarium ) was tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on 50 normal school children over a period of six weeks. The daily dose of the composition was 10 g and contained 1 g mixed herbs (0.2 g of Bacopa monnieri powder). The effects on attention, concentration and memory were observed. Significant improvement in the mean reaction time (measuring attention) was observed in the group treated with the ayurvedic formulation compared to the group receiving the placebo (p < 0.001). However, no significant improvement in terms of enhanced concentration and memory was observed in either group.