Gotu kola is a low-growing herb native to Southeast Asia that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicine, primarily as a brain tonic and wound healer. Its scientific name is Centella asiatica, and it belongs to the carrot family. Today it’s sold widely as a supplement and skincare ingredient, with research supporting some of its traditional uses, particularly for skin repair, circulation, and possibly cognitive health.
The Plant and Its Active Compounds
Gotu kola is a small, creeping herb with fan-shaped leaves that grows in tropical and subtropical climates. It thrives in wet, marshy areas and has been introduced well beyond its native range, growing in parts of the United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Despite the similar name, it has no relation to the kola nut and contains no caffeine.
The compounds that give gotu kola its biological activity are a group of plant chemicals called triterpenes. The four most important are asiaticoside, asiatic acid, madecassoside, and madecassic acid. These work through several pathways in the body: they reduce inflammation by dialing down key inflammatory signals, they boost the body’s own antioxidant defenses, they support cell survival under stress, and they help maintain healthy energy production inside cells. High-quality standardized extracts typically contain at least 80% of these active triterpenes.
Skin Repair and Wound Healing
This is one of gotu kola’s best-supported uses. The plant’s active compounds promote wound healing in two main ways. First, they calm inflammation at the injury site by reducing the release of inflammatory chemicals and limiting the flood of immune cells into damaged tissue. Second, they directly stimulate the skin cells responsible for rebuilding. Specifically, they encourage fibroblasts (the cells that produce your skin’s structural framework) to multiply and ramp up production of collagen and other connective tissue proteins.
This combination of anti-inflammatory and tissue-building effects is why Centella asiatica extract has become a staple ingredient in Korean skincare and wound care products. Clinical studies have tested topical creams containing 3% to 7% Centella extract on burns and skin grafts, with applications once or twice daily. The traditional use as a poultice for wounds and ulcers dates back centuries in Ayurvedic practice.
Circulation and Leg Swelling
Gotu kola has been studied specifically for chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where blood doesn’t flow efficiently back up from the legs, causing heaviness, swelling, and pain. A systematic review pooling data from multiple trials found that Centella asiatica significantly improved microcirculation, measured by oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange through the skin, reduced the rate of ankle swelling, and improved the response of small blood vessels. Three additional trials reported that patients taking Centella showed significantly greater improvement in leg heaviness, pain, and swelling compared to placebo groups, though these studies reported results qualitatively rather than with precise numbers.
Cognitive Health
Gotu kola’s traditional reputation as a “brain herb” has drawn interest from researchers studying age-related cognitive decline. In lab and animal studies, its triterpenes protect nerve cells from damage, reduce oxidative stress in brain tissue, and support healthy energy production inside neurons.
Human evidence is more nuanced. A randomized controlled trial tested 1,000 mg daily of gotu kola extract (500 mg twice a day) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, average age around 75. The group that combined gotu kola with exercise did not score significantly better on cognitive tests than the exercise-only group. However, the supplement did appear to lower a key inflammatory marker called TNF-alpha, and changes in that marker correlated with improvements in a test of executive function. The researchers concluded that gotu kola may enhance the cognitive benefits of exercise by reducing inflammation rather than acting as a standalone brain booster.
Clinical studies have tested cognitive doses ranging from 250 mg to 1,000 mg per day, but no single dose has been established as optimal.
Common Forms and Doses
You’ll find gotu kola sold as capsules, tinctures, teas, powdered herb, and topical creams. Traditional use calls for 0.5 to 1.2 grams of powdered leaf per day, often brewed as a tea. Clinical trials have used a wider range: 250 to 1,000 mg daily of standardized extract for cognitive and vascular conditions, sometimes split into two or three doses with meals.
If you’re buying capsules, look for extracts standardized to their triterpene content. The most rigorously studied standardized extract (called ECa-233) contains no less than 80% triterpene compounds with a specific ratio of madecassoside to asiaticoside. Products that list only raw herb weight without mentioning standardization give you less certainty about what you’re actually getting.
Safety and Side Effects
Gotu kola is generally well tolerated, with few reported adverse effects at typical doses. The most notable safety concern is a small risk of liver injury. Documented cases are very rare, but they do exist. A case series described three women who developed liver damage with jaundice after taking Centella tablets for three to eight weeks. In one case, a 61-year-old woman developed abdominal pain, dark urine, and jaundice after 30 days of use, with liver enzymes rising to 26 to 30 times normal levels. All cases resolved completely within one to two months after stopping the supplement, and experts advise against restarting it if liver problems occur.
Drug Interactions to Know About
Gotu kola can amplify the effects of sedating medications. If you take antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), sleep aids, or barbiturate-type medications, combining them with gotu kola may increase drowsiness and central nervous system depression.
There’s also a theoretical interaction with diabetes medications, including metformin and various forms of insulin. Gotu kola may mildly enhance their blood-sugar-lowering effects, which could increase the risk of blood sugar dropping too low. This interaction is considered minor and largely theoretical, but it’s worth being aware of if you manage your blood sugar closely.