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Gotu kola is a principally Asian plant (Hydrocotyle asiatica, Centella asiatica). It should not be confused with the unrelated, caffeine-containing herb kola nut.

Traditional uses
According to an ancient Sinhalese proverb, "Two leaves a day will keep old age away." For thousands of years gotu kola has been a popular remedy in India and Pakistan, where it has a reputation for promoting longevity and is being investigated for use against leprosy and tuberculosis. In the West it is used mainly as a tonic to increase energy and endurance, improve memory and mental stamina, and alleviate depression and anxiety. It boosts circulation in the legs and is an effective remedy for varicose veins. Gotu kola also has important uses externally as a wound healer, burn remedy, and psoriasis treatment. Large doses taken internally may have a sedating effect.

Modern perspective
Most of the evidence for its tonic and brain-enhancing effects is folkloric or anecdotal. For example, its reputation for promoting longevity may be because in India people have noticed that the long-lived elephant likes to eat gotu kola. While researchers (mainly in India) have conducted dozens of scientific studies on gotu kola, the vast majority of these inquiries have focused on gotu kola's power to promote circulation and to assist in the healing of wounds and the treatment of skin conditions, leprosy, burns, and the like.

Subsequent studies have shown that gotu kola causes a steady, statistically significant increase in blood sugar level. There's a well-documented link between hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and mood swings, fatigue, depression, confusion, and mental illness.

Brain performance

John Heinerman, author of Dr. Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Anti- Aging Remedies, believes the "memory enhancing" attributes of gotu kola may be attributed to the herb's ability to elevate blood sugar levels significantly. In addition, gotu kola is very high in B-complex vitamins (higher than any other plant yet studied), which may help explain its effect on the brain. The B-complex vitamins help the body convert food into energy, and they are also responsible for nervous system function-both essential to a well-organized, clear-thinking brain. Gotu kola also contains triterpenoid compounds, which have a tranquilizing, anti-stress, and anti-anxiety effect and may help enhance mental function as well. Triterpenes both tranquilize and stimulate the brain, and the activities are related. Triterpenes are involved in transmitting nerve impulses to the brain's cortex, so they enhance all central nervous system functions.

Circulatory system

Studies show that it improves blood flow throughout the body by strengthening the veins and capillaries and also promotes growth of connective tissues. Proponents believe gotu kola's stimulating effect on circulation may help improve memory and brain function, and that by nourishing connective and fatty tissues in the brain, it enhances general brain function, including memory.

Types of products
Gotu kola is found in numerous combination formulas with names like Happy Camper, Memory Power, Gotu Kola Supreme, and Pure Energy. It is also sold dried, powdered, in capsules, and in liquids. Herbal companies have also begun to offer gotu kola capsules containing standardized levels of certain compounds known as triterpenes, such as asiaticoside and asiatic acid, that typically occur in the whole herb at around 2 to 4 percent.

Safety
Gotu kola is relatively safe, having a long history of use as a food and medicine in Asia. A 1992 study found no toxicity at any dose, all the way up to dosages of 16g/kg, which would be about like a 160-pound person eating 2.5 pounds of the fresh leaves (animal-to-human dosage comparisons are variable, admittedly). Some herbalists recommend taking two weeks off from gotu kola for every six weeks it is taken on a daily basis. There are some reports of high doses causing headaches, or a racing mind and possible inability to sleep. Paradoxically, it can also lead to sleepiness. Apart from this, and the possibility of headache or skin rash, gotu kola appears to be completely nontoxic. Gotu kola should not be used during pregnancy, however.

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