Shankhpushpi for Neuroprotection

Research suggests that Shankhpushpi — a name applied to several distinct plants in Ayurvedic tradition — shows promising neuroprotective properties in preclinical studies, though the evidence base currently consists entirely of animal and cell-based models with no human clinical trials. A 2019 comparative study using cell cultures and scopolamine-treated rats found that methanol extracts from four plants sharing the Shankhpushpi designation all demonstrated neuroprotective activity, with Evolvulus alsinoides performing most consistently across measures including protection against beta-amyloid toxicity, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and memory preservation. A 2024 study identified a specific mechanism for Convolvulus pluricaulis, finding that its alkaloid Convolamine acts as a positive modulator of the sigma-1 receptor in zebrafish and mouse models, improving cognition under several impairment conditions at low doses. While the directional findings across both studies are supportive, the absence of human trials, the botanical inconsistency inherent in the Shankhpushpi designation, and the early-stage nature of the mechanistic research mean that conclusions about neuroprotective effects in humans cannot yet be drawn.