In 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned manufacturers of dietary supplement products containing Bacopa monnieri against making illegal and unproven claims that the herb can treat various diseases.

It commonly grows in marshy areas throughout India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan, Taiwan, Vietnam, tropical and southern Africa, on Madagascar, in Australia, in the Caribbean as well as in Middle and South America.

[9] Systematic reviews of preliminary research found that Bacopa monnieri may improve cognition, specifically memory and learning,[9][10] although the effect was measurable only after several weeks of use.

[4][5] The FDA stated that Bacopa monnieri products have not been approved for these or any medical purposes, and that advertising for its use in treating Alzheimer's disease is a scam.

[9] The best characterized phytochemicals in Bacopa monnieri are dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins known as bacosides, with jujubogenin or pseudo-jujubogenin moieties as aglycone units.