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Gotu kola Herb - Uses And Side Effects

Sri Lankans believed gotu kola promoted longevity because they saw elephants chewing leaves of the plant it comes from, Centella asiatica. This plant that originated in Madagascar now grows in India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. Some people mistakenly consider gotu kola a stimulant because they confuse its name with kola nuts, koa, or cola-all of which contain caffeine. In Chinese medicine, it is known as luo de da or ji xue cao and is used to lower fever, promote urination, and "detoxify" the body.

Centuries ago, practitioners of the ancient Hindu system of healing known as Ayurveda began using this creeping perennial therapeutically. It was the leaves--fan-shaped when grown in water but small and thin when grown on land--that were most useful for medicinal purposes, including the control of skin problems. By the l880s, gotu kola's reputation for treating skin and other disorders had spread throughout Asia to Europe.

Gotu kola is often confused with kola nut. Due to this confusion, some people assume the rejuvenating properties of Gotu kola are due to the stimulating effects of caffeine contained in kola nut. In fact, Gotu kola is not related to kola nut and contains no caffeine.

Common doses of gotu kola

Gotu kola comes as:

• capsules (221, 250, 435, 439, 441, and 450 milligrams)
• tinctures
• creams

Some experts recommend the following dose:

• 0.6 gram of the dried leaf taken three times daily, or a 450-milligram capsule taken once daily.

Uses of gotu kola herb

Gotu Kola has been found to have significant results in healing of skin, other connective tissues, lymph tissue, blood vessels, and mucous membranes. Specifically, gotu kola may help to :-

• Birth control
• Cancer
• Chronic liver disorders
• High blood pressure
• Leg swelling
• Mental fatigue
• Psoriasis (scaly, raised skin patches)
• Rheumatism
• Skin ulcers
• To reduce scars
• Minimize varicose veins
• Wounds

Side effects of gotu kola

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of gotu kola:

• burning sensation (with topical use)
• sedation (with large doses)
• drowsiness
• skin inflammation
• itching

Gotu kola also can cause high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Don't use gotu kola while taking:

• drugs that lower blood sugar, such as insulin, Amaryl, DiaBeta, Diabinese, Glucophage, Glucotrol, Precose, or Rezulin
• drugs that reduce cholesterol, such as Baycol, Colestid, Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, Questran, or Zocor.

Important paints to remember

• Don't take gotu kola if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
• Avoid this herb if you have a history of skin inflammation.
• Know that some gotu kola ingredients have depressed animals' nervous systems, causing slow breathing and reduced alertness.
• Be aware that the herb may cause a burning sensation when applied to the skin.
• Keep in mind that most health care practitioners recommend using tested contraceptives for birth control instead of gotu kola.
• If you use gotu kola, tell your health care practitioner about any planned or suspected pregnancy.
• Don't use this herb for more than 6 weeks at a time.

What the research shows

Gotu kola seems to have promise in aiding wound healing and treating certain skin disorders. But more research in people must be done to determine if it's safe and to define its long-term effects.

Other names for gossypol: -

Other names for gotu kola include centella, hydrocotyle, Indian pennywort, Indian water navelwort, talepetrako, and TECA (titrated extract of Centella asiatica).

Products containing gotu kola are sold under such names as Gingko/Gotu Kola Supreme, Gotu Kola Gold Extract, and Gotu Kola Herb.