Other Common Names of Gotu Kola: Indian pennywort, pennywort, asiatic pennywort, antanan, pegaga, brahmi, chi-hsueh ts'ao, man t'ien hsing
Habitat: Gotu kola is native to Australia, Pacific Islands, Asia, South Africa, South America and other tropical climates. This perennial is found in shady, marshy areas. It can grow in shallow water or in moist soil.
Description: In shallow water gotu kola uses floating roots and the leaves rest on top of the water. On dry land, numerous small roots give rise to reddish stolons with small, thin leaves. The leaves may reach 1 inch thick by 6 inches long. Three to six reddish flowers may arise in a sessile manner. The fruit of this perennial is about 2 inches long with 7 to 9 ribs and a hardened pericarp. Plant Parts Used: The entire plant is harvested at maturity and used for medicinal purposes.
Therapeutic Uses of Gotu Kola and Claims
* Gotu Kola is known as a longevity herb and often used as a general health tonic. * Historically, gotu kola has been used to treat many disorders; including syphilis, hepatitis, epilepsy, stomach ulcers, nervous conditions, diarrhea and fever. * This herb can be used externally for wounds and skin lesions. * Gotu kola has been shown to support the blood vessels and help lower blood pressure with regular use. This helps reduce the frequency and severity of chronic venous insufficiency and the development of varicose veins. * There is support to show that this plant may help with nervous conditions, especially anxiety and insomnia. * Sufferers of scleroderma may find relief from the use of gotu kola. * Anklylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine) and rheumatoid arthritis may also respond well to this herb. * This herb helps rejuvenate the brain and nervous system and helps improve brain health. This herb has shown anti-aging properties.
Potential Side Effects of Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola has been shown, in some cases, to raise cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so should be avoided by those with high cholesterol and diabetes. This herb may also lead to miscarriage if used during pregnancy. The effect of use on infants and young children is unknown so those women who are breastfeeding should not use it. Gotu Kola use may lead to sensitivity to sunlight or artificial tanning lights. Upset stomach and nausea may occur with oral use and contact dermatitis may result from topical use. Gotu Kola may interact with medications that cause drowsiness and result in an increased sedation. Anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, drugs for insomnia, and tricyclic antidepressants are all drugs that cause drowsiness and may cause an interaction when taken with this herb. It may also lessen the effectiveness of insulin and other oral diabetic medications, as well as cholesterol-lowering medications. Gotu Kola may also have an increased sedative effect when taken with over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, or when drinking alcohol.
Therapeutic Dosages
Gotu kola is usually found in the form of herbal teas, tablets, capsules, tinctures, and salves. The tea is typically consumed three times a day. The oils, creams, or even tea, can be applied to the skin as needed throughout the day. Due to the varying potency and strengths of different products it is important to follow the manufacturer's suggested dosage.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics there were 45.8 million adults with diagnosed arthritis in the United States in 1993. Although the term literally means joint inflammation, arthritis really refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints.
The two most common forms of the disease are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, especially among older people. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects the cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the bodies own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint). This chronic, potentially disabling disease causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints.
Today more and more people are seeking an alternative treatment to combat the pain of arthritis. One such treatment that may hold promise is the use of the herb Gotu Kola.
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) also known as Indian pennywort, marsh penny and water pennywort is a creeping Perennial herb, native to tropical and sub-Tropical Asia, some South Pacific islands, coastal and central Africa. It has been used for centuries in both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine and was first accepted as a drug in France in the 1880's.
Although treating arthritis is not the most common traditional use of Gotu Kola, down under in Australia Gotu Kola is commonly known as Pennywort “The Arthritis Herb" where the fresh leaves are used to treat arthritic conditions and has become extremely popular. Frequent reports of its efficacy have prompted the Herbal Medicines Research and Education Centre to start a research project to investigate the popular use of Pennywort (Centella asiatica) for the treatment of arthritis.
Numerous reports have emerged from the general public that eating 2 leaves each day is said to relieve the pain of arthritis and even plant nurseries in Australia sell the plant as 'the arthritis herb'.
Note: Gotu kola should not by taken if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or taking certain medications.
Before taking any alternative treatment talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have any other medical conditions, allergies (especially to plants), or if you take other medicines or other herbal/health supplements.
Both Alien & Linda Thompson Thompson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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