Impact of Organic and Non-organic Cultivated Bacopa monnieri Harvested at Different Time Intervals

Bacopa monnieri is well known to have potential pharmacological benefits to human beings especially as a potent memory enhancing and immunostimulatory agent. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to perform a phytochemical and pharmacological comparison of organically and non-organically produced B. monnieri collected at diverse time interval. The study included soil analysis, cultivation of organic and non-organic B. monnieri using fertilisers and pesticides prepared from natural source for organic cultivation, whereas harvesting was conducted after the first, second and third month of their cultivation. The study also included a relative physicochemical, phytochemical and pharmacological assessment (memory enhancing activity) followed by acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity. Physicochemical parameters revealed that, as the harvest progressed into the third month, foreign matter, ash and moisture levels rose. The phytochemical evaluations also showed higher quantities of phytoconstituents after the third month. This was also confirmed through HPTLC analysis of Bacoside A. In the treatment group of mice with 100 mg/kg, p.o. of organically and non-organically grown B. monnieri, nootropic activity showed a substantial (p < 0.05) drop in escape latency and a substantial increase in spatial memory from the third month of harvest. Also, the third month sample extract was significantly inhibited the AChE level in all three brain regions, i.e. hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, where organic cultivation predominated. Comparing B. monnieri’s memory enhancing activity to the other harvesting times, organically grown B. monnieri collected after the third month of its cultivation showed the best performance.