• Gotu kola is an herb that is commonly used in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The above-ground parts are used to make medicine.

Contents

Uses

  • Gotu kola is used to treat bacterial, viral, or parastitic infections such as urinary tract infection (UTI), shingles, leprosy, cholera, dysentery, syphilis, the common cold, influenza, H1N1 (swine) flu, elephantiasis, tuberculosis, and schistosomiasis.
  • Gotu kola is also used for fatigue, anxiety, depression, psychiatric disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and improving memory and intelligence.
  • Other uses include wound healing, trauma, and circulation problems (venous insufficiency) including varicose veins, and blood clots in the legs.
  • Some people use gotu kola for sunstroke, tonsillitis, fluid around the lungs (pleurisy), liver disease (hepatitis), jaundice, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), stomach pain, diarrhea, indigestion, stomach ulcers, epilepsy, asthma, “tired blood” (anemia), diabetes, and for helping them live longer.
  • Some women use gotu kola for preventing pregnancy, absence of menstrual periods, and to arouse sexual desire.
  • Gotu kola is sometimes applied to the skin for wound healing and reducing scars, includiung stretch marks caused by pregnancy.

Benefits

  • Gotu kola contains certain chemicals that seem to decrease inflammation and also decrease blood pressure in veins.
  • Gotu kola also seems to increase collagen production, which is important for wound healing.
  • Helps treat decreased return of blood from the feet and legs back to the heart (venous insufficiency).

Cautions

  • There is concern that gotu kola might cause liver damage in some people.
  • It can also cause other side effects including stomach upset, nausea, and itching.
  • Too much gotu kola might also cause drowsiness.
  • Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Gotu kola is POSSIBLY SAFE in pregnant women when applied to the skin. But don’t take it by mouth. Not enough is known about the safety of taking gotu kola orally. There also isn’t enough known about the safety of using gotu kola during breast-feeding. Avoid using it if you are nursing.
  • Liver disease: There is concern that gotu kola might cause liver damage. People who already have a liver disease such as hepatitis should avoid using gotu kola. It might make liver problems worse.
  • Surgery: Gotu kola might cause too much sleepiness if combined with medications used during and after surgery. Stop using gotu kola at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Major Interaction Do not take this combination

  • Sedative medications (CNS depressants) interacts with GOTU KOLA: Large amounts of gotu kola might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking gotu kola along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.
    • Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.

Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination

  • Medications that can harm the liver (Hepatotoxic drugs) interacts with GOTU KOLA: Gotu kola might harm the liver. Taking gotu kola along with medication that might also harm the liver can increase the risk of liver damage.
    • Some medications that can harm the liver include acetaminophen (Tylenol and others), amiodarone (Cordarone), carbamazepine (Tegretol), isoniazid (INH), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), methyldopa (Aldomet), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), erythromycin (Erythrocin, Ilosone, others), phenytoin (Dilantin), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), and many others.

Other names

Centella asiatrica, pennywort, Jal brahmi, Centella, Mandookaparni, Centellin

References

Source: WebMD, “Gotu Kola”, www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/

Comments

  1. Super Admin Article Author

    Hi Leann,

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