GOTU KOLA CENTELLA ASIATICA

GOTU KOLA (Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.) ++

Synonym :
- Hydrocotyle asiatica L., H. erecta L. f.
Some WBB entries may include C. coriacea Nannfd.

Activities (Gotu Kola) :
- Adaptogen (MB); Alterative (f; CRC; KAB; PED; SUW); Analgesic (1; ABS; WHO); Angiogenic (1; PH2); Antiallergic (1; VAG; VVG); Antibacterial (1; PED; PHR; VAG); Anticonvulsant (1; CAN; WHO); Antidepressant (1; ABS; PHR); Antidote (f; AKT); Antiedemic (1; CAN; WHO); Antifertility (1; APA; CAN; WOI); Antiinflammatory (1; FNF; PED; PH2; WHO); Antileprotic (1; PNC); Antimitotic (1; VAG); Antipyretic (1; CRC; KAB; VAG; VVG; WHO); Antirheumatic (1; CAN); Antiseptic (1; ABS; VAG; WBB); Antispasmodic (1; PED; VAG; WO2); Antistress (1; VAG); Antitumor (1; PH2; VVG); Antiulcer (1; CAN; PED; PH2; VAG); Antiuronic-acid (1; PH2); Antiviral (1; ABS); Anxiolytic (1; FNF; IJP29:S340; VAG); Aphrodisiac (f; APA; WOI); Arylsulfatase Inhibitor (1; PH2); Bitter (f; KAB); Carcinogenic (1; WHO); Cerebrotonic (1; CAN; PED; WHO); Cholinergic (1; CAN); Cicatrizant (1; WBB; WO2); Circulostimulant
(1; DEP); CNS Depressant (1; CAN); Collagenic (1; CAN; PH2; WHO); Cytotoxic (1; PH2); Depurative (f; SUW); Dermagenic (1; WBB); Detoxicant (f; AKT; MBB); Digestive (f; CRC); Diuretic (f; CRC; PED; SUW; VVG); Emmenagogue (f; DEP); Fungicide (1; PED; VAG; VVG); GABA-Antagonist (1; VAG); GABA-Nergic (1; WHO); Beta-Glucuronidase Inhibitor (1; PH2); Hypoglycemic (1; WBB); Immunomodulator (1; ABS); Immunostimulant (1; PNC); Lactagogue (f; WO2); Laxative (f; KAB; VVG); Memorigenic (1; AKT; CAN; MBB; SUW; WO2); Mucogenic (1; WBB); Narcotic (f; CRC; DEP; WO2; ZUL); Nervine (f; PED); Phagocytotic (1; PNC; ZUL); Propecic (1; KAP); Radioprotective (1; PH2); Restorative (f; CRC);Sedative (1; ABS; APA; KAP; ZUL); Spermicide (1; CAN); Stimulant (f; APA); Stomachic (f; CRC); Tonic (f; APA; CRC; SUW; VAG); Tranquilizer (1; KAP; VAG; VVG); Vulnerary (1; ABS; CAN; WHO).

Indications (Gotu Kola) :
- Abscess (f; CRC); Acne (f; VVG); Adenopathy (f; DEP); Albinism (f; WHO); Allergy (1; VAG; VVG); Alopecia (1; KAP; TGP; WBB); Ameba (1; KAP); Amenorrhea (f; DEP); Amnesia (f; KAB); Anemia (f; CRC; KAB; WHO); Anorexia (f; KAB); Anxiety (1; FNF; IJP29:S340; VAG); Arthrosis (2; VAG); Asthma (f; CRC; KAB; PHR; PH2; WHO); Bacteria (1; PED; PHR; VAG; VVG); Biliousness (f; CRC); Blood Disorder (f; CRC); Boil (f; AKT; CRC); Bronchosis (f; CRC; WHO); Bruise (1; CAN; WHO); Burn (2; APA; SKY; WHO); Calculus (f; PH2); Callus (f; JLH); Cancer (1; CRC; PH2; VAG; VVG); Cancer, abdomen (f; JLH); Cancer,
colon (f; JLH); Cancer, uterus (f; CRC); Cataract (f; CRC); Catarrh (f; CRC; WO2); Cellulite (1; APA; HFH/JA/99; WHO); Cholera (1; PED; WHO; WO2); Cirrhosis (1; APA; WHO); Constipation (f; KAB; VVG; WHO); Convulsion (1; CAN; CRC; WHO); Cough (f; WO2); Cramp (1; PED; VAG; WO2); Cut (f; CRC); CVI (2; ABS; PH2; PNC; SKY; VVG; WHO; ZUL); Dehydration (f; PH2); Dementia (f; PED); Depression (1; ABS; PHR); Dermatosis (f; CAN; FEL; KAB; PH2; SUW; ZUL); Diarrhea (f; APA; KAP; PH2; VAG; WHO); Dizziness (f; WHO); Dropsy (f; CRC; WOI); Dysentery (f; CRC; KAB; PH2; WHO); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA; WHO); Dyspepsia (f; KAB; SUW); Dysuria (f; CRC; KAB; PH2; WHO); Earache (f; CRC); Eczema (f; APA; DEP; VAG; WOI); Edema (1; CAN; PH2); Elephantiasis (f; CRC; FEL; WOI); Encephalosis (f; DEP); pilepsy (f; KAP; MBB; PH2; WHO); Epistaxis (f; PH2; WHO); Failing Memory (1; PED); Fatigue (f; PH2); Fever (1; AKT; APA; CRC; KAB; PED; VAG; VVG; WHO); Fracture (f; WHO; WO2); Fungus (1; PED; VAG; VVG); Furunculosis (f; WHO); Gonorrhea (f; CRC); Headache (f; CRC; KAB; PED; WO2); Hematemesis (f; WHO); Hemorrhoid (1; CRC; WHO; WOI); Hepatosis (1; WHO); Hiccup (f; CRC); High Blood Pressure (1; PH2; VVG; WHO); Hydrocele (f; WO2); Hysteria (f; PH2); Immunodepression (1; PNC); Induration (f; JLH); Infection (1; PED; VAG; VVG); Inflammation (1; AKT; CRC; FNF; PED; PH2; VVG; WHO; WO2); Insanity (f; CRC; DEP; KAB; KAP); Insomnia (1; ABS; APA; KAP; ZUL); Itch (f; CRC; DEP; PH2; WO2); Jaundice (f; APA; CRC; WHO); Keloids (2; PNC; WHO); Leprosy (1; APA; DEP; FEL; PH2; SUW; VVG); Leukoderma (f; CRC; KAB); Leukorrhea (f; WHO; WO2); Liver (f; CRC); Longevity (f; APA); Lung (f; CRC); Lupus (f; APA; WBB); Lymphatic Insufficiency (f; VVG); Malaria (f; WO2); Measles (f; WHO); Miscarriage (f; MBB); Mycosis (1; PED; VAG; VVG); Nephrosis (f; CRC; WOI; WO2); Nervousness (1; ABS; APA; KAP; VAG; VVG; ZUL); Neuralgia (f; WHO); Neurosis (f; APA; KAB; SUW; WHO); Ophthalmia (f; PH2); Pain (1; ABS; PH2; WHO); Pleurosis (f; CRC); Psoriasis (1; APA; CAN; KAB); Rheumatism (1; CAN; KAP; PH2; SUW; WHO; WO2); Rib Ache (f; CRC); Scabies (f; PH2); Scar (1; WHO); Schizophrenia (PED); Scleroderma (2; APA; SKY); Scrofula (f; CRC; DEP; FEL); Skin Disease (f; CRC); Smallpox (f; KAB; WHO); Snakebite (f; KAB); Sore (2; CAN; FEL; PH2; PNC; WHO); Spasm (f; CRC); Splenomegaly (f; CRC); Sprain (f; WHO); Stomachache (PED); Stress (f; KAP); Striae gravidarum (2; ABS); Stutter (f; KAB); Swelling (1; CAN; PH2; WHO); Syphilis (f; DEP; KAB; PED; PH2; SUW; WHO); Thirst (f; CRC); Toothache (f; WHO); Tuberculosis (1; CRC; WBB; WO2); Tumor (1; CRC; PH2; VVG); Ulcer (2; CAN; PED; PHR; PH2; VAG; WHO; WO2); Ulcus cruris (2; WHO); Urethrosis (f; CRC; WHO; WOI); Urinary Discharge (f; CRC); Uterosis (f; PH2); Varicosis (1; APA; PH2; PNC; SKY; VAG; WHO); VD (f; KAB; PED; PH2; SUW; WHO); Virus (1; ABS); Water Retention (f; CRC; PED; SUW; VVG); Wound (2; APA; PH2; SKY; WBB; WHO; WO2).

Dosages (Gotu Kola) :
- 0.5 - 1 tsp herb/cup water 2 - 3 ×/day (APA; MB); 0.6 g herb, or in tea, 3 ×/day (CAN); 1 - 2 tsp dry herb/cup water 2 - 3 ×/day (SKY); 0.5 - 1.5 g powdered herb (KAP); 2 - 4 g crude leaf/day (MB); 0.25 cup fresh leaf (PED); 6 g dry leaf (PED); 6 g dry leaf:30 ml alcohol/30 ml water (PED); 600 mg powdered leaf/day (PNC); 0.5 - 1 dropper 2 - 3 ×/day (APA); 2 - 4 ml (0.5 - 1 tsp) liquid extract (1:1) (MB); 12 - 20 ml infusion (KAP); 10 - 20 ml tincture 3 ×/day (SKY); 330 - 680 mg 3 ×/day (WHO); 60 - 120 mg StX/day (to 100% triterpenoids) (MB; SKY).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Gotu Kola) :
- Class 1 (AHP). Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages (PH2). LRNP (December 1988) says that, despite claims of nonallergenicity, dermatosis has been reported in some patients taking gotu kola. Asiaticoside may be carcinogenic to the skin, following repeated applications (MB). Reading their account, Id not be any more afraid of gotu kola than wild lettuce. Contraindicated in epilepsy and pregnancy; may photosensitize (MB). CAN cautions against dermatosis and phototoxicity.
Ingestion may induce pruritus (CAN). Because it is reputed to be abortifacient and to affect the menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. May interact with other blood ressure, cholesterol, and depression medications. Excessive ingestion of hydrocotyle should be oided (CAN). Not allowed as nonmedicinal ingredient in oral use products in Canada. (Michols, 1995). Nausea may rarely follow extremely high doses (SKY).

Extracts (Gotu Kola) :
- With antiedemic and antiinflammatory activity, the triterpenoids promote healing and keratinization, stimulating the epidermis (asiaticoside may inhibit the synthesis of collagen and mucopolysaccharides in connective tissue). Hydroethanolic extracts showed anticonvulsant (40, 50, 60 mg/kg orl mouse), anxiolytic (75 mg/kg orl rats cf 2 mg diazepam ipr rat), and sedative effects (75, 150, 300 mg/kg orl mouse), but no conclusive anorective effect. Leaves marketed in Brazil as an antiobesity compound. LD50 >675 mg/kg orl rat. Results seem to verify previous reports of CNS-depressant activity, and folk use for epilepsy, hysteria, and insanity (FIT68:413). The total triterpenic fraction decreases uronic acid, beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and arysulfatase in the connective tissue and vascular wall, perhaps preventing or alleviating varicose veins (PH2).