Gotu Kola herb health benefit, side effects, supplement extracts, Centella Asiatica plant medical uses and dosage

Gotu kola is a medicinal plant that has been used since prehistoric times. Centella asiatica is used in folk medicine to treat a wide range of medical conditions. This herb has been subjected to quite extensive experimental and clinical investigations. It has a positive effect in the treatment of venous insufficiency and striae gravidarum. Centella asiatica also appears to be effective in the treatment of wound healing disturbances. At the present time, clinical studies aimed at investigating the sedative, analgesic, antidepressive, antimicrobial, antiviral and immune system effects that have been demonstrated experimentally, are still lacking. However, the therapeutic potential of this plant in terms of its efficacy and versatility is such that further detailed research would appear worthwhile.

Supplements over the counter
There are many types of gotu kola supplements in health food stores and online.

Organic Gotu Kola leaf 200 mg
100 Capsules, 435mg
Centella asiatica leaf 450 mg
475 mg

Buy Gotu Kola supplement at a reliable online store

Standardized Gotu kola herb extract (10% asiaticosides) 300 mg
Organic supercritical extract (CO2) 100:1 Extract Ratio 30 mg., along with Organic PSE extract 10% Saponins 510 mg., and Organic raw herb powder 365 mg.

Composition of leaf
Its active constituents include pentacyclic triterpene derivatives. Studies have been conducted in particular to investigate the madecassosides, asiatic acid, and asiaticosides. Centella asiatica leaf also has high concentration of total phenolic compounds, in particular, catechin, quercetin, and rutin.

Human studies with Centella Asiatica

Mind and mood
Positive modulation of cognition and mood in the healthy elderly volunteer following the administration of Centella asiatica.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2008; Wattanathorn J, Mator L Tongun T, Pasuriwong O, Piyawatkul N, Sripanidkulchai B.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Centella asiatica has a reputation to restore decline cognitive function in traditional medicine and in animal model. The present randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study investigated the effect of Centella asiatica on cognitive function of healthy elderly volunteer. Twenty-eight healthy elderly participants received the plant extract at various doses ranging 250, 500 and 750 mg once daily for 2 months. The results showed that the high dose of the plant extract enhanced working memory and increased N100 component amplitude of event-related potential. Improvements of self-rated mood were also found following the Centella asiatica treatment. Therefore, the present findings suggest the potential of gotu kola herb to attenuate the age-related decline in cognitive function and mood disorder in the healthy elderly.

Veins and arteries
Gotu kola has an influence on blood vessels, venous hypertension, venous insufficiency, and diabetic microangiopathy .

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013. A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Centella asiatica for Improvement of the Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
We searched 13 electronic databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomised controlled trials assessing the efficacy of Centella asiatica for CVI. Two review authors independently selected studies, assessed the risks of bias of included studies and extracted data. The treatment effects of similar studies were pooled whenever appropriate. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooling of data of similar studies showed that it significantly improved microcirculatory parameters such as transcutaneous partial pressure of CO2 and O2, rate of ankle swelling and venoarteriolar response. Three out of the eight studies did not provide quantitative data. However, these studies reported that patients treated with Centella asiatica showed significant improvement in CVI signs such as leg heaviness, pain and oedema. Our results show that Centella asiatica may be beneficial for improving signs and symptoms of CVI but this conclusion needs to be interpreted with caution as most of the studies were characterised by inadequate reporting and thus had unclear risks of bias, which may threaten the validity of the conclusions.

Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in chronic venous insufficiency and in high-perfusion microangiopathy.
Angiology. 2001; Incandela L, Cesarone MR, Cacchio M, Belcaro G. Vascular Unit, Ealing Hospital, London, UK.
Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica is effective in improving venous wall alterations in chronic venous hypertension and in protecting the venous endothelium. Centella asiatica extracts are active on connective tissue modulation, improves the synthesis of collagen and other tissue proteins by modulating the action of fibroblasts in the vein wall, and stimulates collagen remodeling in and around the venous wall. This is due to the modulating action of Centella asiatica extracts on fibroblasts as shown by experiments on the growth of human embryonal fibroblasts. Centella asiatica extract has a moderate in-vitro and in-vivo stimulating effect on collagen synthesis and, at higher dosages, an inhibition on the synthesis of collagen and acid mucopolysaccharides. Studies have indicated the role of gotu kola extracts on the synthesis of specific venous wall elements by cell cultures of human embryonal fibroblasts. The tissue-stimulating action is shown by the increased collagen production independent from the stimulation of cell proliferation (this differentiates the action of gotu kola extracts from cell growth factors). Gotu kola extracts are active on the microcirculation in venous and diabetic microangiopathy. Signs and symptoms of venous hypertension and edema are improved by treatment. Several actions of gotu kola extracts in vascular diseases makes the use of this herb interesting in venous and arterial problems.

Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in the treatment of venous hypertension: a clinical, prospective, randomized trial using a combined microcirculatory model.
Angiology. 2001; Incandela L, Belcaro G, De Sanctis MT, Griffin M, Ippolito E. Irvine Vascular Laboratory, St Mary's Hospital and Imperial College, London, UK.
A single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study was performed on the effects of different doses of the total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in patients with venous hypertensive microangiopathy. A combined microcirculatory model that considers laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and transcutaneous oxygen (PO2), transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) measurements was combined with the symptom evaluation. LDF tests included the baseline resting flow, the venoarteriolar reflex, and the variation of flow related to the temperature increase. All tests provided a significant difference between drug-treated groups and the placebo group, thereby allowing a distinction to be made between the higher (120 mg daily) and the lower (60 mg daily) dose of gotu kola extract. Based on our results, gotu kola triterpenic fractions display significant activity. Doses as high as 120 mg daily may be safely used in venous hypertension.

Evaluation of treatment of diabetic microangiopathy with total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica: a clinical prospective randomized trial with a microcirculatory model.
Angiology. 2001; Cesarone MR, Incandela L, De Sanctis MT, Bavera P, Bucci M. Irvine Vascular Laboratory, St Mary's Hospital and Imperial College, London, UK.
Fifty patients with diabetic microangiopathy were studied by laser Doppler flowmetry (measuring skin blood flow at rest) (RF) and the venoarteriolar response. Thirty of these patients were treated for 6 months with total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica (60 mg twice daily), a drug active on microcirculation and capillary permeability. A control group of ten patients was treated with placebo and another group of ten patients was left without treatment thus acting as a second control group. After six months there were no significant changes in the two control groups. There was a significant improvement of microcirculatory parameter in patients treated with Centella asiatica. Blood flow at rest (abnormally increased at the beginning of the treatment) decreased. According to these data, gotu kola extract is useful in diabetic microangiopathy by improving microcirculation and decreasing capillary permeability.

Animal studies

Parkinson's disease
Neuroprotective effect of Centella asiatica extract (CAE) on experimentally induced parkinsonism in aged Sprague-Dawley rats.
J Toxicol Sci. 2010. Division of Human Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in ageing and age-related neurodegenerative changes including Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is characterized by signs of major oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. Present study was designed to investigate whether the Centella asiatica extract (CAE) would prevent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity in aged Sprague-Dawley rats. Our results show that administration of gotu kola was effective in protecting the brain against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinsonism.

Inquiries
Can gotu kola herbal product be used together with maca extract?
    Use each one by itself for a few days before combining.

Combination with other herbal ingredients
Int J Impot Res. 2009. A new herbal combination, Etana, for enhancing erectile function: an efficacy and safety study in animals. Department of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Petra University, Amman, Jordan.AbstractWe present herein a new herbal combination called Etana that is composed of five herbal extracts including Panax quinquelotius (Ginseng), Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali), Epimedium grandiflorum (Horny goat weed), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) and flower pollen extracts. Most of the above-mentioned extracts have a long historical and traditional use for erectile dysfunction (ED). On the basis of the mechanism of action of each of the above, a combination is introduced to overcome several physiological or induced factors of ED. This study was conducted to show an enhancement of erectile function in male rats. The animals were observed for 3 h after each administration for penile erection, genital grooming and copulation mounting, and the penile erection index (PEI) was calculated. When compared with sildenafil citrate, Etana induced more pronounced PEI than 0.36 mg kg(-1), but similar to 0.71 mg kg(-1) of sildenafil. Furthermore, full acute and sub-acute toxicity studies showed no toxic effects of Etana. In conclusion, this study describes a new and safe combination of herbal components that enhance erectile function in male rats. Clinical studies are warranted for evaluating Etana's significance in ED.