Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica)

What is it?

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) is a perennial herb native to Asia that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, particularly in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It is known for its potential benefits in wound healing, cognitive enhancement, and skin health.

How does it work for medicinal purposes?

Gotu Kola works through its active compounds, such as triterpenoids, which have been shown to promote wound healing, enhance collagen synthesis, improve circulation, and exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These properties make Gotu Kola beneficial for skin health, cognitive function, and overall well-being.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The primary active ingredients in Gotu Kola include:

• Triterpenoids (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid): These compounds are known for their wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and collagen-boosting properties.
• Flavonoids: Antioxidants that help protect cells from damage.
• Phytosterols: Compounds that support skin health and reduce inflammation.

What forms does it come in?

• Capsules
• Tablets
• Liquid extracts
• Tinctures
• Topical creams and ointments
• Dried leaves (for making teas or infusions)

What if I have an imbalance or deficiency?

Gotu Kola is not typically associated with a specific deficiency, but it is used to address various health imbalances such as poor wound healing, cognitive decline, and inflammatory skin conditions. Supplementing with Gotu Kola can help improve these conditions.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Gotu Kola has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It was traditionally used for wound healing, enhancing mental clarity, and promoting longevity.

What does Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) help with?

Gotu kola is a small creeping herb from the wet tropics of Asia. Healers in Ayurveda, Chinese and Southeast Asian medicine have used it for thousands of years. They used it for the mind, for the skin, and for the blood.

The firmest human research covers heavy legs, scars and wound repair. The brain and mood research is smaller and less settled. Each use below gets its own grade, based on the studies behind that use.

• Heavy, aching, swollen legs and varicose veins
  Good evidence — human trials on file for chronic venous insufficiency; sizes and doses are not recorded in our source. This is the best-established use in people. Studies in people with poor leg blood flow found less swelling, aching and heaviness. In lab work, its compounds firmed up vessel walls and cut fluid leaking into nearby tissue.
  Evidence grade B
• Scars you want to look less obvious
  Good evidence — human studies of both creams and oral doses; sizes and doses are not recorded in our source. This is one of the herb's best-documented uses. Studies of creams and of pills found scars looked less marked. In lab tests, its active compounds pushed skin cells to make more collagen, the protein that gives skin its strength.
  Evidence grade B
• Wounds, burns and skin ulcers that are slow to close
  Good evidence — human studies of creams and oral use, plus long traditional use; trial sizes are not recorded in our source. Studies found faster repair with creams and with oral doses. The herb acted at each stage of healing: less early swelling, then new collagen, then reshaping of the healed tissue. Traditional use covers skin ulcers, burns and surgical wounds.
  Evidence grade B
• Stretch marks in pregnancy or a growth spurt
  Early evidence — small studies of creams made with gotu kola triterpenes; sizes are not recorded in our source. Creams built around gotu kola triterpenes were studied for this on purpose. The studies looked at both stopping new marks and fading marks already there. In lab work, the same compounds raise collagen and help skin stay stretchy.
  Evidence grade C
• Foggy memory and poor focus, including as you get older
  Early evidence — small studies in older adults with mild memory complaints, backed by lab and animal work. People who took it for one to two months reported clearer thinking. Studies in older adults with mild memory complaints found better attention and recall over several weeks. In lab and animal work, it helped nerve cells grow and branch and raised blood flow to the brain.
  Evidence grade C
• Feeling tense, worried or easily startled
  Early evidence — small human studies plus lab work on stress signals. People in small studies felt less on edge after several weeks. They did not report feeling drowsy. In lab work, the herb quieted overactive stress signals in the brain.
  Evidence grade C
• Red, itchy or irritated skin, such as eczema or psoriasis
  Not yet tested in people — lab work and long traditional use only; no human trial on file. Creams have a long history of use on angry, red skin. In lab studies, gotu kola calmed swelling and pushed skin cells to make collagen. No human trial for eczema or psoriasis is held in this library.
  Evidence grade insufficient
• Nerve pain, numbness or nerve damage
  Not yet tested in people — early lab and animal work, plus Ayurvedic tradition. In early research, its compounds helped nerve fibres regrow. Ayurvedic healers used the herb for nerve damage. Results in people with numbness or nerve pain are not on file here.
  Evidence grade insufficient
• Trouble sleeping when your mind will not switch off
  Not yet tested in people — no sleep trial on file; rests on reports and on the calming studies above. Gotu kola is not a sedative. Some people say it helps when stress or a racing mind keeps them awake. No sleep study is held here, so treat this as untested.
  Evidence grade insufficient

What Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to work as a sleeping pill, and it is not a sedative.
• It has not been shown to help a true sleep disorder, as opposed to a stressed, busy mind.
• It has not been shown to erase scars or stretch marks; studies found them looking less marked, not gone.
• It has not been shown to help dementia or Alzheimer's disease; the memory studies on file involved mild complaints only.
• It has not been shown in people to repair damaged nerves or ease nerve pain; that work is early and mostly in the lab.
• It has not been shown in a human trial to help eczema or psoriasis.

How to read this:

A grade of A means many good human trials agree. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or early human studies. D means the human evidence is weak or clashes. Insufficient means no human study at all, just lab work, animal work or tradition. These grades describe what studies found in the past, not what will happen to you. This page sets out options to discuss with your doctor or pharmacist. It is not medical advice, and it does not say this herb treats anything.

What can Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) help prevent?

• Progression of chronic venous insufficiency: regular use has been shown to slow worsening of venous leg disease and reduce complications like leg ulcers
• Stretch mark formation during pregnancy: topical application starting in the second trimester has shown preventive benefit in clinical studies
• Scar hypertrophy after surgery or injury: early use post-wound may reduce the likelihood of raised or thickened scarring

Which foods are rich in it?

Gotu Kola is not commonly found in typical foods. It is usually consumed as a supplement or used in traditional recipes, particularly in Asian cuisines. Fresh Gotu Kola leaves can be added to salads or used in herbal teas.

What are possible side effects?

Gotu Kola is generally well-tolerated, but possible side effects include:

• Common (10-30%)
• Mild gastrointestinal issues (e.g., nausea, stomach upset)
• Headache
• Less Common (1-10%)
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Rare (<1%)
• Allergic reactions (e.g., rash, itching)
• Liver toxicity (with high doses or prolonged use)

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Gotu Kola for adults typically ranges from 500 to 1000 mg of standardized extract, divided into two or three doses. For topical use, creams or ointments containing 1% to 5% Gotu Kola extract are commonly used. It is important to follow the dosage instructions provided on the product label or by a healthcare provider.

How many days does it take to work?

Some benefits of Gotu Kola, such as reduced anxiety and improved skin hydration, may be noticeable within a few days to a week. Long-term benefits, such as enhanced cognitive function and improved vein health, may take several weeks to months of regular use to become apparent.

What time of day is best to take it?

Gotu Kola can be taken at any time of day. For cognitive and mental health benefits, it is often recommended to take it in the morning and afternoon. For sleep and relaxation, it may be taken in the evening.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Gotu Kola can be taken with or without food. Taking it with meals may help minimize any potential gastrointestinal discomfort. For topical use, it can be applied as directed on clean, dry skin.