CAM Reference

Gotu Kola

A creeping wetland herb (Centella asiatica) with a long history in Ayurvedic and East Asian traditions, most often discussed in skin/wound and cognitive wellness contexts — and unrelated to the caffeine-containing kola nut.

Last reviewed: June 10, 2026

Overview

Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a small, low-growing perennial herb found in tropical and subtropical wetlands across South Asia, Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, and the Pacific. It holds a prominent place in Ayurvedic medicine and also appears in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Southeast Asian herbal traditions. Despite the name, gotu kola is unrelated to the kola nut (Cola species) and contains no caffeine — a point worth stating early because the name similarity is a frequent source of confusion.

This page is educational and does not recommend gotu kola for any condition. It describes what gotu kola is, how it has been used traditionally, what research can and cannot support, and the safety points raised most often. Two themes recur: the naming overlap with Bacopa monnieri (both are sometimes called "brahmi" in Ayurvedic contexts), and the difference between gotu kola eaten as a fresh culinary green and the more concentrated standardized extracts sold as supplements.

What it is

Gotu kola is a perennial herb in the Apiaceae (carrot and parsley) family, producing small fan-shaped leaves on creeping stems and having a mild, slightly bitter, grassy flavor when eaten fresh. The plant part used is the above-ground herb (leaves and stems). It may appear as:

  • dried leaf or whole-herb preparations for tea and infusion
  • tinctures and liquid extracts
  • standardized supplement capsules or tablets
  • topical creams, gels, and ointments
  • a fresh culinary green in parts of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka

Phytochemically, gotu kola is best known for its triterpenoid compounds — particularly asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid — which are often the focus of scientific interest and the basis for "standardized" extracts. Preparation type and degree of standardization vary widely between products, so a fresh-leaf salad and a concentrated triterpenoid extract represent quite different exposures even though both come from the same plant.

Traditional use (educational)

Gotu kola has deep roots in several traditional systems:

  • Ayurvedic texts reference it under the name brahmi (a name also applied to Bacopa monnieri in some regions, which causes ongoing confusion), historically in the context of cognitive clarity and longevity
  • in folk and traditional discussion it is sometimes associated with everyday mental clarity and focus, a framing occasionally referenced by people experiencing poor concentration
  • topical traditional uses centered on skin and minor wounds are also widely documented
  • in Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia, the fresh leaves are eaten as a vegetable or salad ingredient — Sri Lankan gotu kola sambol, prepared with grated coconut and lime, is a familiar household example

These references reflect long-standing cultural traditions, not confirmed clinical effects, and traditional association is not evidence that gotu kola treats any condition.

What research says

Research on gotu kola spans laboratory, animal, and human studies, though the evidence base is uneven across topics. The triterpenoid constituents are the usual focus, and extracts standardized to these compounds feature in much of the published work. Among the more frequently studied areas are topical wound healing and venous-related contexts, with some interest in cognitive and mood-related outcomes; the European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) has issued a herbal monograph recognizing traditional use for skin disorders and minor wounds.

Read by evidence tier, populations, extract types, and outcome measures vary considerably across studies, and the plant material itself differs by geographic origin and growing conditions, which complicates comparisons. Evidence summaries generally note that while preliminary findings exist in several areas, high-quality, large-scale human trials remain limited, and results from laboratory work cannot be assumed to apply in real-world use. Major reference databases tend to describe the evidence base as promising in some areas but not yet conclusive. This page asserts no specific health effect, and gotu kola should not be used as a substitute for appropriate medical care.

Safety & interactions

Common safety considerations include:

  • Gastrointestinal and headache effects: mild gastrointestinal upset and headache are occasionally reported in trials of oral extracts.
  • Skin sensitivity: topical products may cause contact sensitivity in some individuals, including contact dermatitis documented in case reports.
  • Liver-related concerns: rare cases of liver-related effects have appeared in case reports, though causality is often uncertain and the reporting context varies; this is one reason caution is advised for people with liver conditions.
  • Sedation and metabolism: potential interactions with sedating substances or with medications metabolized by the liver (including CYP450 substrates) have been discussed in safety reviews.
  • Concentration matters: concentrated standardized extracts introduce potency variables that are not present in traditional culinary or tea use of the fresh leaf.

This page gives no amounts or schedules. The practical point is that fresh-leaf culinary use and concentrated extracts are different exposures, and the cautions weigh most heavily where the chemistry is most concentrated.

Who should be cautious

Caution is most often suggested for several groups. Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals face insufficient formal safety data and are commonly advised to avoid concentrated preparations. People with liver conditions, or those taking medications that can affect the liver, are frequently advised to be cautious given the rare liver-related case reports.

Individuals scheduled for surgery are sometimes advised to disclose gotu kola use because some references discuss possible effects on sedation, and anyone taking multiple herbal supplements concurrently, or prescription medications metabolized by the liver, faces additional uncertainty around interactions. As a general theme, these cautions weigh more heavily on concentrated extracts and specific groups than on incidental culinary contact with the fresh leaf, and a clinician or pharmacist is the appropriate source of individualized guidance.

Quality & sourcing considerations

Accurate species identification is the central quality question for gotu kola, because Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri are both sold or referenced as "brahmi" in some markets and product labels do not always clarify which species is in the bottle. A clearly identified botanical name is therefore informative. Standardization to triterpenoid content (asiaticoside and related compounds) varies across products and is one marker some manufacturers report.

Beyond identity and standardization, the usual signals apply. Contaminant and heavy-metal testing matters particularly for material sourced from tropical wetland regions, and clear labeling of plant part, extraction method, and concentration helps in evaluating what a product actually contains. The distinction between fresh or dried culinary-grade leaf and concentrated standardized extracts is relevant to both potency and the interpretation of any traditional claim.

FAQs

Is gotu kola the same as kola nut?
No. Despite the name similarity, gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is botanically unrelated to kola nut (Cola species) and contains no caffeine. The naming coincidence is a common source of confusion in Western wellness contexts, but the two are entirely different plants used in different ways.

Why is gotu kola sometimes called "brahmi"?
In certain Ayurvedic regional traditions, both Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri are referred to as "brahmi." This shared naming has caused real confusion in the supplement market, and because product labels do not always specify the species, checking the botanical name (Centella asiatica) is the reliable way to know which plant a product contains.

Is gotu kola eaten as food?
In parts of South and Southeast Asia, yes — fresh leaves are used in salads, sambols, and cooked dishes, and Sri Lankan gotu kola sambol with grated coconut and lime is a familiar household example. Culinary use of the fresh leaf is a different exposure from concentrated standardized supplement extracts.

Does gotu kola help with concentration or memory?
Gotu kola has a traditional association with mental clarity in Ayurvedic and East Asian sources, and some preliminary studies have looked at cognitive and mood-related outcomes, but the human evidence is limited and not conclusive. This page does not recommend gotu kola, and persistent concentration or memory concerns warrant professional evaluation rather than self-treatment.

Is gotu kola safe during pregnancy?
Formal safety data for gotu kola in pregnancy and breastfeeding are insufficient, and concentrated preparations are commonly advised against for these populations. Seeking professional guidance before use is appropriate, and this page gives no amounts.

References