What is Gotu Kola?
Gotu Kola’s scientific name is Centella Asiatica, but generally known as Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort Thankuni. You can call it “Gotu Kola” because that is the common name in the western hemisphere. The herbal plant is native to the swampy wetlands of Asia and also grows in the marshes of the Southeastern US. Known as an aquatic plant, you can add the plant to your home garden if you water it regularly enough for the plant to thrive. (x)
History of Gotu Kola
Used for centuries in Southeast Asia, the gotu kola herb was a standard remedy for many ailments from increasing gastric ulcers to healing herpes. (x) Even though the plant was famous for its medicinal successes, India and China revered and respected the plant for spiritual enhancement, calling it “Herb of Enlightenment.”
Claiming the brain-shaped leaves indicates rejuvenating properties by improving circulation around the brain and nervous system, as well as memory and cognitive capabilities. Ayurvedic incorporated the herb into their spiritual practices, including meditation. Heightened their awareness by promoting calmness and clarity, yogis and sages practiced this for centuries, living long and dynamic lives. (x)
Elephants have an excellent memory and long lifespans, and some attribute these qualities to the elephants eating the leaves of gotu kola. Called ‘food for the brain” works as a stimulant and an antioxidant, but traditionally used as a mild tranquilizer for anxiety and stress, supporting the nervous system. (x)
What is Gotu Kola Used For?
Gotu kola is part of the Apiaceae family, as are carrots, parsley, and celery. The herbal plant can taste slightly bitter, and it hardly has any odor. It is a significant ingredient in long-established Asian cuisines and is available in many forms, including tea, tincture, extract, dried herb and capsule.
Gotu kola carries many nutrients that may provide medicinal qualities such as phytonutrients, including flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, plus quite a few vitamin Bs and vitamin C. (x) Supplied with antioxidants, phytonutrients help prevent disease and damage to your body’s cells.
But, keep in mind the nutritional content of the herbal plant varies significantly based on how it is grown, harvest, processed and prepared. You should see a doctor for diagnoses, accurate medical information and permission before taking any supplements.
Gotu Kola Benefits
Based on an accumulation of scientific studies, the gotu kola herb has many reported benefits for the body, mind and spirit. While reading these benefits, keep in mind living a healthy lifestyle while taking gotu kola supplements is imperative.
Improves Memory
The most notable of the gotu kola benefits is its potential to enhance memory and cognition. A study reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease indicated that the herbal extract might improve memory on a molecular plane by improving the activity of a pathway associated with long-term memory formation. (x)
Though memory is an abstract subject that is unmeasurable based more on the mind than the brain, another study with laboratory rats underwent a battery of tests, measuring their cognitive capabilities. The gotu kola extract improved the rats’ ability to learn by raising the blood’s antioxidant levels. (x)
Another study further backs up that gotu kola boosting both cognitive and memory abilities in elderly participants. (x) Yet, another study includes the mental improvement of mentally disabled children who took the herbal extract. (x)
Alleviates Depression and Anxiety
Studies relating to cognitive and mental improvement indicate gotu kola might help you with your overall mental health. The fact that it possesses antidepressant and anxiolytic properties may help calm nerves or treat depression while promoting sleep as a sedative. (x)
A study included 33 participants who benefited from a prescription of 500 mg capsules of gotu kola twice a day after a meal for 60 days. Levels of stress, anxiety and depression decreased. (x) Similar findings reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, relating to elderly participants taking the supplement, which showed improvements in memory and mood. (x)
Several more studies performed on animals confirm relief from depression and anxiety, meaning it might benefit you to take a natural approach to handle your stress or depression. (x) (x)
Helps Improve Overall Circulation
Poor circulation stems from many causes, including diabetes, obesity, varicose veins and artery disease. All reduce the blood flow in the body, causing muscle pain, tingling and numbness. Standard remedies include exercise, elevating legs and avoid immobility over long periods.
Studies suggest supplementing with gotu kola may help you improve your blood circulation with this natural approach. A study conducted on 87 participants diagnosed with poor circulation showed noticeable improvement when given 30 to 60 milligrams two times a day for 60 days. (x)
Additionally, eight more studies reported gotu kola effectively improved circulation while alleviating poor circulation symptoms, including pain, heaviness in the legs and swelling. (x)
Helps Prevent Gastric Ulcers
Gastric ulcer symptoms include bleeding, nausea and pain with sores forming in the lining of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. (x) Studies indicate that gotu kola may prevent and treat the ulcers by boosting the lining of the digestive system and preventing further damage from harmful free radicals.
A report in the journal Life Sciences states how supplementing rats with the herbal plant reduced the formation of ulcers by up to 82 percent. (x) Another study performed on rats induced with gastric ulcers showed notable improvement after administering gotu kola. With a healthy lifestyle free from stress, gotu kola taken as a supplement may help prevent and reduce your ulcers. (x)
Help Eradicate Cancer Cells
Limited test-tube studies share evidence of gotu kola killing cancer cells. Most likely, the positive results stem from the potent antioxidant properties of the herbal plant, neutralizing the free radicals that cause cancer cells.
The study reports gotu kola as a treatment for human breast cancer cells proved positive by blocking the cancer growth and inducing cancer cell death. (x) A similar study with cancer cells from mouse skin, rat brain and human breast treated with gotu kola eradicated all the deadly cells. (x)
These studies are very promising. and you may want to consider adding gotu kola to your diet, though more studies conducted in the future guarantees the potential of success.
Reduces and Prevents Inflammation
When an injury occurs, a natural response is an inflammation around that injury. But chronic inflammation causes several ailments in the body, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and obesity.
Studies prove that antioxidants play an essential role in reducing and preventing inflammation. (x) Because gotu kola triggers antioxidant activity within the body, it may help reduce your chronic inflammation and treat these ailments and heal wounds. (x) An animal study indicated that active compounds of gotu kola lowered several inflammatory symptoms, including the reduction of arthritis in rats. (x)
Helps Repair the Skin
Boosting the health of your skin or repairing your skin is one of the values of gotu kola. Skin naturally processes antioxidants and the herb enhances the antioxidant activity in your skin, regenerating the skin wounds and helping the healing process.
Study conduction on animals showed that gotu kola applied to wounds twice daily raised antioxidant levels to 77 percent after only seven days. (x) Another study had gotu kola applied three times each day for 24 days to wounds on the skin, resulting in the increased production of collagen and regeneration of skin cells faster. (x)
With these positive reports about the treatment of skin wounds, you may also find benefits for treating other skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Make sure you check with your doctor before you start taking the supplement.
How to Use Gotu Kola
Asian countries add the leafy vegetable to curries, soups, side dishes and salads. In other parts of the world, people sip a soothing cup of gotu kola tea, add a few drops of tincture to a drink, take it in capsule form or rub the ointment on their skin. If you decide to take gotu kola, make sure you talk to your doctor about the various ways you can use it.
Possible Side Effects of Gotu Kola
Generally safe while following recommend doses of gotu kola, some have reported side effects. Though they are uncommon, if you experience any of these adverse reactions, discontinue the use and talk with your doctor. Some of the side effects are skin irritation, nausea, headaches, dizziness and drowsiness.
Furthermore, studies suggest taking the supplement for no more than six weeks with a two-week break if you plan on an extended time of using the supplement. No studies indicate the safety or adverse effects of taking gotu kola if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, including no reports of adverse effects on unborn babies, infants and children. Since reports indicate gotu kola as a sedative, use caution when taking the supplement with other medications for treating sleep disorders or anxiety. (x)
Where to Buy
You can purchase gotu kola extract supplements at BulkSupplements.com. The company is an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor for pure dietary supplements. BulkSupplements.com is not just a consumer brand. It also supplies pure ingredients to other brands that distribute food and other supplement products. All products at BulkSupplements.com are manufactured and tested according to current and proper manufacturing practices.
Are you interested in trying gotu kola extract as a dietary supplement for its potential to support healthy skin, treat stress and depression, treat wounds and gastric ulcers? Contact BulkSupplements.com to place an order today.
Bottom Line
A long history of using gotu kola for health issues as well as spiritual enlightenment brings you to a place where you have ample information about this beautiful and versatile plant. The fact that it has high levels of antioxidant properties mean, you may use it for many health issues, including skin irritations, gastric ulcers and cancer-causing cells.
You may decide to take the spiritual approach with gotu kola and find an island of calm and mental well-being. As a capsule, tincture, extract or ointment, gotu kola may help you achieve your lifestyle goals.
Stay aware of the adverse side effects, avoid the supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or are on certain medications. And, always consult with your doctor before you start taking any supplement.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
