Gotu Kola

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Gotu Kola

• Centella Asiatica
• DFM 655
• Beatrice Sugiono Shehara Wanigatunga

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Description

• Perennial herb with rhizome root system
• Grows well in moist marshy soil
• Traditionally the whole plant is used for
  treatments
• Leaves are green to reddish
• Flowers are pink/red and grow near the ground

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Background History

• Aka Pennywort, Indian Pennywort, Jal Brahmi
• Found in Asia, Africa and Australia
• Has been used medicinally for thousands of years
  in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine.
• Appeared in Western medicine in 1884 (France)

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Background History

• Has NOT been evaluated by the FDA
• There have NOT been any scientific trials done on
  humans yet

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Historically Used to treat

• Symptoms of leprosy
• Syphilis
• Hepatitis
• Stomach ulcers
• Mental Fatigue
• Epilepsy
• Diarrhea
• Cognition
• Fever
• Common Cold
• Tuberculosis
• Ameobic Dysentery
• Asthma
• Hair Growth
• Dementia

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Methods of Use

• Topically either crushed fresh and put on wounds
  or derived infusions
• Ingested fresh whole leaves, juiced, cooked or
  concentrated in pill forms

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Active Ingredients

• Triterpenoids
• Sapponins
• Asiaticoside
• Quercetin
• Volitile oils
• Flavonoids
• Tannins
• Phytosterols

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Dermatology

• Active Ingredients Triterpenoids
  Asiaticoside
• Triterpenoids strengthen skin, restore inflamed
  tissues by increasing blood supply .
• Asiaticoside increase collagen content, tensile
  strength and better epithelisation

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Used to treat

• Psoriasis
• Burned Tissue
• Wounds
• Keloids and Scar tissue
• Vein ulcers

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Wound Healing Study

• Asiaticoside extracted and applied to punch
  wounds in guinea pigs.
• 50 improvements in collagen content, tensile
  strength and better epithelisation than the
  control subjects.

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Gotu Kola vs. Collagenase

• Gotu Kola and Collagenase were topically and
  orally given to rats with punch wounds.
• Initially the Gotu Kola showed improvement over
  the Collagenase group but in the end the
  Collagenase was shown to provide better and
  faster healing than the Gotu Kola.
• Scientists attributed the initial improvement to
  Gotu Kolas high antioxidant content.

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Neurology

• Accelerates neural regeneration
• Increases age related cognition
• Memory enhancement
• Alzheimers
• Depression

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Neurology Study

• Male rats with neuron damage were given extract
  in drinking water. These rats were able to
  regenerate damaged axons more rapidly than their
  control counterparts.
• Antioxidant properties also shown to improve
  aging damage in the brain.

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Improving Venous Symptoms in Lower Limbs

• Reduced the following symptoms
• Edema
• Restless limbs
• Swelling
• Change in skin color
• Ankle swelling

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Side Effects

• Generally not many
• Should not be used by pregnant women as it can
  cause uterine contractions
• Asiaticoside can be toxic if taken in excess of
  1mg/kg orally
• GI upset and nausea
• Recovery comes from discontinuation

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Conclusion

• Some skepticism as to how much Gotu Kola is able
  to do.
• Why hasnt the FDA looked at it? Western
  medicine will hopefully be able to narrow its
  attributes be able to use it effectively in the
  future.
• For now it is a relatively harmless supplement
  that has potential