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Benefits of Gotu Kola

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Evidence-Based Benefits

  • Anxiety reduction — Bradwejn et al. (2000, n=40) showed a single 12g dose of gotu kola significantly reduced acoustic startle response (a validated anxiety measure) compared to placebo
  • Cognitive enhancement — Wattanathorn et al. (2008, n=28) found 750mg/day gotu kola extract improved working memory, mood, and calmness in healthy elderly subjects over 2 months
  • Wound healing — TECA (titrated extract of Centella asiatica) accelerates wound closure and collagen synthesis; multiple clinical trials support its use for surgical wounds, burns, and chronic ulcers (Brinkhaus et al., 2000 review)
  • Venous insufficiency — Cesarone et al. (2001, n=87) demonstrated TECA improved symptoms and microcirculation in chronic venous insufficiency patients
  • Neuroprotection — asiaticoside promotes neurite outgrowth and may protect against beta-amyloid toxicity in preclinical models (Soumyanath et al., 2005)

What the Research Says

Gotu kola has a diverse evidence base spanning anxiety, cognition, and wound healing. The most rigorous anxiety study is Bradwejn et al. (2000), which used acoustic startle response as an objective anxiety measure. For wound healing, the TECA extract has the most clinical support, with Brinkhaus et al. (2000) reviewing multiple positive trials. Wattanathorn et al. (2008) provided evidence for cognitive benefits in elderly subjects. A notable safety concern: rare cases of hepatotoxicity have been reported, leading to recommendations for cyclic use rather than continuous long-term supplementation.

Related Conditions

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References

  1. (). A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on acoustic startle response in healthy subjects. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. DOI
  2. (). Positive modulation of cognition and mood in the healthy elderly volunteer following the administration of Centella asiatica. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. DOI
  3. (). Chemical, pharmacological and clinical profile of the East Asian medical plant Centella asiatica. Phytomedicine. DOI