Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) as a

hyper-accumulating plant to
sequester heavy metal from its
environment

Deepankshi Shah
MSc (Previous) Environmental Studies
Roll No:10
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of
Baroda
Index
 Introduction
 Basics of Bacopa Monnieri
 Biological Effects
 Benefits
 Bacopa as a hyper-accumulating plant
 Mechanism
 Case Study
 Conclusion
 References
Introduction
 Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb native to the wetlands
of southern and Eastern India.
 It is a medicinal herb as a brain tonic to enhance memory
development and concentration.
 Other names for B. monnieri: Waterhyssop, Brahmi, Thyme-leafed
gratiola, Herb of grace, Indian pennywort.

 Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Bacopa

Agharkar, S.P. (1991). The medicinal plants of Bombay Presidency. Pbl. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India : 33-34.
Bhandari, M.M. (1990). Flora of the Indian desert. Pbl. MPS Repros, Jodhpur, India : 250.
General Description :
 Leaves are succulent, oblong and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) thick which are
arranged opposite to each other on the stem.
 Flowers are small and light purple or white with four to five petals.

Distribution :
 It is a short duration annual herb, frequent in
moist habitat and water edges throughout tropical
and subtropical India.
 It grows best near flowing water and wetlands in
plains and foothills, and is particularly abundant in monsoon.

Useful Part :
 The whole herb
Agharkar, S.P. (1991). The medicinal plants of Bombay Presidency. Pbl. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India : 33-34.
Bhandari, M.M. (1990). Flora of the Indian desert. Pbl. MPS Repros, Jodhpur, India : 250.
Climate and soil :
 Can grow in the habitat which provides wet and semi-shade conditions.
 It is found at altitudes up to 1300 m. Near-neutral, clayey loam to clayey
soils are best suited for the growth. In North India, it can grow in a wide
range of temperatures (15–40 oC) and soil pH (5–7.5).
 However, it can even grow well in soils with pH 7.5 or even more.

Ecology :
 It can grow naturally in wetland, shallow water, damp and muddy shores.
Its ability to grow in water makes it a popular aquarium plant; it can also
grow in slightly brackish conditions.
 Even though it is an aquatic plant, it can easily be cultivated in pots, in a
garden under a shade or even under full sun when provided ample
water.
 This plant can be grown hydroponically.
Biological Effects
 Benefits of Bacopa Monnieri
 Powerful Brain Tonic
 Acts as an Anti-oxidant
 Relief from anxiety and stress problems
 Relief from diabetic issues
 Helpful for scalp and skin
 Helpful for hair and insomnia
 Bacopa Monnieri as hyper-accumulating
plant
 Bacopa Monnieri is used as a model hyperaccumulator plant for the
sequestration of heavy metals such as …..

 Hyperaccumulator Plant :
A plant capable of growing in soils with very high concentrations
of metals, absorbing these metals through their roots, concentrating
and translocating them to shoots and leaves.
 Three basic hallmarks distinguish hyperaccumulators from related
non-hyperaccumulating taxa:
1. A strongly enhanced rate of heavy metal uptake
2. A faster root-to-shoot translocation and
3. A greater ability to detoxify and sequester heavy metals in leaves
This figure shows how hyperaccumulators are different from non-
hyperaccumulators. The hyperaccumulators allow heavy metal storage in their
above-ground parts, whereas non-hyperaccaumulators store heavy metals in
their below-ground organs.
Phytoremediation
 It is the clean-up process of a contaminated area with
the use of plants.
Phytoextraction
 This term is also known as phytoaccumulation.
 Plants take up or hyper-accumulate contaminants through
their roots and store them in the tissues of the stem or
leaves.
 The contaminants are not necessarily degraded but are
removed from the environment when the plants are
harvested.
 This is particularly useful for removing metals from soil. In
some cases, the metals can be recovered for reuse by
incinerating the plants in a process called phytomining.
Heavy Metal Uptake Mechanism in Bacopa
Monnieri

 There are three major processes by which plants

accumulate heavy metals in their organs :
1. Bioavailability and uptake of heavy metals from the soil
through roots.
2. Translocation of heavy metals from roots to shoots
through xylem loading.
3. Sequestration of heavy metals in leaves particularly in
vacuoles.
(3)

(2)

(1)
1. Bioavailability and uptake of heavy metals
from the soil through roots :
 The heavy metal uptake is dependent on many
characteristics of soil like pH, water content, organic
substances, and the most important factor: the availability
of metals in the soil.
 Heavy metals exist in soil in different forms such as free
ions or complex forms bound to organic and inorganic
matter, or as compounds like silicates or oxides and
hydroxides.
 Mobility of metals can be increased by using natural
chelator such as Metallothinenins (MTs) and addition of
organic acids like low-molecular-weight organic acids
(LMWOAs)
 Once heavy metals are available for uptake, there are two
pathways by which they enter the roots :
A) The apoplastic pathway allows the soluble metal fraction
to travel without entering the cells and through the
intracellular spaces.
B) The symplastic pathway allows the movement of non-
essential metals through the cytoplasm by consuming
energy.
2. Translocation of heavy metals from roots to
shoots through xylem loading :
 This process does not occur in non-hyperaccumulators
and the heavy metals are stored in the roots only.
 Heavy metals enter into xylem channels through the
process known as xylem loading.
 It is an energy-consuming process that only allows those
metals to enter that are following the symplast pathway.
 This is because during normal transport, the casparian
strip in the endodermis blocks intracellular movement.
Hence, metals that are moving through the apoplast
pathway gets blocked which means that the only way to
enter xylem vessels is by taking the symplast pathway.
3. Sequestration of heavy metals in leaves
particularly in vacuoles :
 When the heavy metals are transported to the leaves,
they are sequestered in its cells either intracellularly or
extracellularly.
 Before their storage, they are detoxified by chelate
ligands such as metallothinenis, plant chelators, and
organic acids like histidine or citrate.
 The major organelle involved in accumulating metal
concentration is the vacuole.
 Vacuole transport is mediated by metal ion transporters
(MTPs) that specifically allow transport through vacuoles.
 Another transporter, namely YCF1, is specific to vacuoles
and helps the plant to tolerate heavy metal contamination.
Shortcomings :
 A massive background check should be carried out in the
form of research to ascertain the final results as
expected.
 Decreased biomass
 Detailed behavior of plants under certain environmental
conditions in response to heavy metal stress.
 Holding capacity and mobilization for the heavy metal
pollutants in soil.
 Extensive root systems of plants are necessary to ensure
the effectiveness.
Future Aspects :

 Phytoextraction serves as a successful in-situ method for

the decontamination of heavy metal–polluted soil.

 Phytoattenuation: Hyper-accumulator plants can be

used as bio-energy crops to fulfill agricultural needs as
well as energy requirements.

 Phytomining: The technique for recovering metals

absorbed in the plants using them as mines. Although it
can only be applied to plants with higher biomass content,
efforts can be made to extract bio-ores that are not only
environmentally safe, but also can be a potential source of
energy.
Case Study for Different Metals
Conclusion
 The medicinal property and wide use of Bacopa monnieri
as an ingredient of many Ayurvedic medicines and food
supplements on one hand and phytoextraction potential
and phytoremediation efficacy on the other are
paradoxical.
References