Gotu Kola
What is Gotu Kola and what does it do?
GotuKola is a perennial plant that grows mainly in Asian countries and countries around the Asian region including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa and China. The plant itself is odorless and tasteless and usually grows in humid and wet areas. Guto Kola has fan-shaped green leaves, pink or white flowers and an oval fruit. Gotu Kola, also known scientifically as Centella Asiatica, has been used in traditional medicine in India, China and Thailand for centuries. In these countries, Gotu Kola is used for its ability to improve mental alertness and heal wounds, as well as to treat skin diseases including psoriasis and leprosy. There is an old legend that tells of a Chinese herbalist who lived for more than 200 years due to the use of this plant. Throughout history, Gotu Kola has been used to treat a myriad of medical conditions including mental exhaustion, syphilis, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, diarrhea, epilepsy, fever and asthma. Today, herbalists in America and Europe use gotu kola to treat conditions such as psoriatic arthritis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis and depression, among others, due to its ability to help reduce tissue swelling. Recent studies have confirmed some of gotu kola's traditional and emerging uses, which include its ability to help lower high blood pressure, improve mental alertness and accelerate wound healing.
What are the benefits of Gotu Kola?
Wound healing
Gotu kola contains compounds called triterpenoids, which have been shown to help heal wounds. Animal studies conducted with these compounds have shown that triterpenoids strengthen the skin while increasing the concentration of antioxidants in the wound. They also improve blood flow to the injured areas, aiding tissue repair.
Because of these healing properties, Gotu Kola is used to prevent scarring after medical surgery, for burn victims and during recovery from an episiotomy after childbirth.
Venous insufficiency
When blood vessels lose their ability to stretch and adapt over the years, blood and fluid often begin to leak out of the legs - this causes the legs to swell and is also known as venous insufficiency. These are the unsightly blood lines normally seen in older people. In a study of nearly 100 subjects suffering from venous insufficiency, the subjects who used Gotu Kola reported a dramatic improvement in symptoms compared to the placebo group.
Restlessness and anxiety
The aforementioned triterpenoids contained in Gotu Kola have shown the ability to improve mental clarity and reduce anxiety in mice. A recently published study also showed that those who took gotu kola were less affected by unfamiliar sounds, a precursor to anxiety. Although these are promising results, the dosages required to achieve these results were extremely high.
High blood pressure
One study showed that those who took Abana (a herbal blend with Gotu Kola) and suffered from heart disease and high blood pressure experienced a large reduction in diastolic blood pressure compared to members of the placebo group.
Other potential medical conditions that could be affected by gotu kola, at least to some extent, are scleroderma and insomnia.
Who can benefit from taking Gotu Kola?
Healthy adults may consider supplementing with gotu kola. Due to its potential benefits for anxiety, high blood pressure and wound healing, individuals suffering from any of these issues should consider taking gotu kola. Ultimately, however, only a physician familiar with personal medical history can make explicit recommendations.
Recommended intake
Children should not take Gotu Kola. For adults, the dosage of Gotu Kola varies depending on the condition you are trying to treat. A doctor is the best person to consult for the correct dosages for treating illnesses. In general, standard dosages are as follows:
- Dried plant: you make a tea from the dried leaves and drink it three times a day.
- Tincture: 30 to 60 drops three times a day
- Powdered dried plant: 1000 to 4000 mg three times a day
- Standardized extract: 50 to 250 mg three times a day
Side effects
Although side effects are very rare with Gotu Kola, they can still occur. These side effects may include a burning sensation, allergic skin reactions, headaches, dizziness, nausea, stomach upset and drowsiness.
These side effects usually occur at higher Gotu Kola dosages.