Gotu Kola, also known as Centella Asiatica or Asian pennyworth, is native to Asian wetlands and it is used as a medicinal herb in Ayurveda and Chinese traditional medicine, but also in cooking too.
Benefits:
- contains certain chemicals that decrease inflammation and blood pressure in veins;
- seems to increase collagen production, helping wound healing;
- orally taken for 4–8 weeks seems to improve circulation and reduce swelling in the legs if you got poor circulation
- taking it for 12 months in atherosclerosis stabilize the fatty deposit plaques in the blood vessels making it less likely to break leading to heart attack or stroke;
- prevents blood clots during long flights (more than 3 hours);
- improve mental function;
- might help reduce symptoms of psoriasis, and used as a cream prevents scarring;
- helps bladder wounds healing after parasitic infection called schistomiasis;
- as a cream can heal stretch marks associated with pregnancy;
- useful for fatigue, anxiety, bacterial and viral infections like common cold, flu, tonsillitis, sunstroke, U.T.I., hepatitis, jaundice, diarrhea, indigestion;
- refreshing energy
- used for aging skin, tones and tighten the skin due to collagen production, increase the blood flow, helping in cellulitis;
- strengthen the hair follicles and nourishes the scalp (strengthens the blood vessels in the scalp area and leads to hair regrowth);
- rejuvenative nervine, bringing balance to the nervous system;
- sharpens the mind, increase memory learning and cognition;
- repair and reverse the damage to the brain cells, preventing degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease;
- boosts acetylcholine production, decreasing the symptoms in ADHD and ADD;
- increases the dendrite and axon growth;
- rich in triterpene saponozides (a Japanese research shows that some of them can stop the growth of the cancer cells);
- neurogenesis and neuroprotection.
Side effects:
- safe for pregnant women as a cream, not enough data when used orally if the woman is pregnant or breastfeeding;
- cause sleepiness if used in combination with other drugs after surgery (interacting with sedatives, CNS depressants);
- moderate interaction with hepatotoxic drugs (tylenol, tegretol, simvastatin).
Dosage:
- safe dose for blood circulation 60–180 mg per day;
- recommended 50–250 mg three times per day;
- as a nootropic 3 x 200 mg per day.
