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 ETYMOLOGY
Centella, appears to be derived from the verb "sip", which is a reference to how the plant continuously draws water from the marshy areas in which it lives.
BOTANICAL INFORMATION
Family: Apiaceae
Description: Weakly aromatic, herbaceous perennial plant.
Habitat: Native to moist places, it grows near water or waterlogged soils, on wet rocks as high up as 700 m in India, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the islands of off south-western Australia, and Madagascar.
Cultivation: Extensively cultivated in India (in the outskirts of Calcutta and Bombay) and Madagascar.
Method of Harvest:
Can be harvested throughout the year.
Parts Utilized:
Leaves and other aerial parts.
ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS: Triterpene derivatives (asiaticoside).
MODE OF ACTION
Actions: Gotu Kola is an excellent aid in connective tissue repair through its ability to stimulate the activity of fibroblasts and production of collagen. These properties make it a protector of capillary and venous walls, as well as improving edema.
Precautions: The triterpene component of Gotu Kola appears to be devoid of teratogenic or other adverse effects on pregnancy and lactation. However, since no known clinical trials have been done
on women using Gotu Kola during pregnancy and lactation, it is recommended to use caution in these cases.
COMMON INDICATIONS
As a medicinal herb: Preparations of Gotu Kola are used as adjuctives for venous insufficiency (varicose veins, phlebitis, hemorrhoids), and to facilitate the process of healing sores, wounds, skin ulcers.
Traditional uses:
In India, its country of origin, Gotu Kola has been used for thousands of years and still has a central place in Ayurvedic medicine. It is primarily used to treat leprosy, skin ulcers and other skin problems. In India, this plant has a longstanding reputation as a bearer of youth, since it aids in concentration and memory. Additionally, the fresh leaves are given to children suffering from dysentery. The plant is also used to help with fever, abdominal disorders, asthma and bronchitis.
PREPARATION AND USE
Internal Use: As a dry extract or in other preparations equivalent to 100 mg / day of total triterpene derivatives, measured as asiaticoside.
HISTORY AND LEGENDS
Gotu Kola was not very well-known at the beginning of the 20th century; but during the Second World War an herbal tea called Fo-Ti-Tieng, which among its ingredients includes Gotu Kola became famous. An ancient Chinese herbalist, Li Ching Yun, popularized the belief that this formula increased longevity by using the mixture on a regular basis and living until the age of 256! This infusion found immediate success and from it Gotu Kola emerged as an herbal tonic.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
References
“Chemical components of Centella asiatica and their bioactivities.” Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2007 May;5(3):348-51.
“Total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica in chronic venous insufficiency and in high-perfusion microangiopathy.” Angiology. 2001 Oct;52 Suppl 2:S9-13
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