CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE
PERSPECTIVES
In this review article, the authors have tried to collect and summarize
the properties, applications and recent reports on traditional uses,
phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, toxicity, extracts, and
isolated compounds of bacosides and bacopa saponins. Increasing
SOD activity, free radical scavenging, GABA receptors, and levels of
various antioxidant enzymes (that protect the cells from ROS) gives an
insight into the antioxidative and antiinflammatory properties of
bacosides. It is also believed to suppress lipid peroxidation (decreasing
lipid peroxides) and apoptosis by altering the levels of apoptotic biomarkers.
In spite of a lot of papers devoted to the phytochemistry and
pharmacological aspects of the plant, a few noteworthy shortcomings
still exist, which can be resolved.Pharmacological investigations based
on lab-based data are important to confirm traditional applications. It
has made us aware of the properties of bacosides especially
antioxidative, antiinflammatory, and antiapoptotic. Though in a few
cases, pharmacological evaluation confirmed the ethnomedicinal
claims scientifically, some of the cases require reconfirmation. However,
we got much less papers that provide evidence of bioactivity
and bioavailability of active constituents. BM has been reported to
contain stigmasterol, betulinic acid, apigenin, luteolin, beta sistosterol,
bacopasaponins A-G, bacosides I-III, III-V, bacosides A1-A3, and
bacoside B, apart from bacoside A, but very few papers read about
the structure, characteristics and biological activities of compounds,
primarily besides bacoside A. Hence, in-depth studies should be done
about all the active compounds in the plant extracts of BM to understand
the qualities that are attributed toward its Ayurvedic usage.
Toxicological studies are another important area of concern that
has not been adequately researched upon. Although some reports
guarantee its safety as a neuroprotective medicine, the toxicity profile
of bacosides and bacopasaponins on patients like children, elderly
people, pregnant and/or lactating women still needs to be investigated
and comprehended. Therefore, consequent application
according to conventional medical practices on patients with an
underlying disease should be done with necessary precautions in
order to avoid herb-medicine interaction.
Future research should focus on advancing analysis, phytochemistry,
pharmacology, and toxicological characterization. In-silico analysis
(transcriptomics and metabolomics) and genomics should be taken
into account since these can educate us about the therapeutic and
biotechnological significance of the genes responsible for the synthesis
of important secondary metabolites. Biosynthesis of bacosides also
offers an opportunity to redesign its metabolic pathways either fully
or partly.
en.wikipedia.org
