Distribution and habitat: Throughout India in wetlands and marshy areas

Botany: Annual creeper, rooting at each node; stem soft, succulent, soft hairs present; branches 10-25 cm long; 

• Leaves: Alternate simple, 1.25-1.8 cm long, sessile or subsessile, oval shaped.
• Flower: Light blue or white, 0.8-1.5 cm long.
• Fruit: Capsules 2-grooved, valves separating from the entire column, many-seeded. Seed setting and production of viable seeds are rare. 

Parts used: whole plant

Chemical constituents: Leaves contain the alkaloids brahmine, herpestine, mannitol and saponins ( bacosides A and B).  The mixture of bacosides A and B on hydrolysis gives four sapogenins, glucose and arabinose.

Uses: 

• Improvement of intelligence and memory and revitalisation of sense organs.
• Barbiturate, hypnosis potentiation effect, stomachic and cardiotonic
• It is suggested for dermatosis, anaemia, diabetes, cough, dropsy, fever, arthritis, anorexia, dyspepsia, emaciation, and insanity.
• Dispels poisonous affections, splenic disorders and impurity of blood.
• It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, biliousness, neuralgia, ascites, flatulence, leprosy, leucoderma, syphilis, sterility and general debility.

Formulations: Brahmighrtam, Sarasvataristam, Brahmitailam, Manasamithravadayam, Misrakasneham etc. in Ayurveda and brain tonic in Unani

Agrotechnology

Soil and climate: Warm humid tropics up to 1200 m elevation. Sun-loving plant

Propagation: By stem cuttings of 10 cm long planted at 20 cm spacing. requires shallow submergence of 1 cm. Roots within 15-20 days. It will spread over the field within 6 months.

Harvesting: Harvesting commences from sixth month onwards. It can be continued round the year if adequate irrigation is provided.  After 3 years, the whole crop is harvested and replanted.