Gotu Kola

What is Gotu Kola?

Gotu kola, otherwise known scientifically as Centella asiatica, is a rather small, greenish  herb that tends to grow in most Asian countries and Africa. For centuries, this herb has been long used as an all-around medicine inside the traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine cultures, usually used for healing wounds, clearing the mind, and aiding relaxation. It’s also been proven to improve neural genesis by stimulating the growth of neural pathways, which is why it’s often cited as a “natural nootropic” among many others. 

Uses of Gotu Kola

Some of the many uses for gotu kola, either as an oral medicine or topical ointment or cream, include:

– depression
– fatigue
– anxiety
– Alzheimer’s disease
– psychiatric disorders
– improving memory
– increasing intelligence
– wound healing
– blood clots
– varicose veins

Scientific Studies on Gotu Kola

Pharmacological Review on Centella asiatica: A Potential Herbal Cure-all
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3116297/

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on acoustic startle response in healthy subjects.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11106141

Gotu kola at the University of Maryland Medical Center
http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/gotu-kola