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Centella asiatica

Common name:	Gotu Kola	Family:	Umbelliferae
Author:	(L.)Urb.	Botanical references:	58, 265
Synonyms:	Hydrocotyle repanda, Hydrocotyle cordifolia, Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.)
Known Hazards:	There is a warning that the plant can irritate the skin[238], though it is widely used to treat skin complaints[238].
Range:	E. Asia - India, China and Japan. Australia.
Habitat:	Old stone walls and rocky sunny places in lowland hills and especially by the coast in central and southern Japan[58]. Shady, damp and wet places such as paddy fields, and in grass thickets[147, 238].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	5

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Asya Sutasi [E], Brahmi [E], Daun Kaki Kuda [E], Gagan-gagan [E], Gotu Kola [H], Hydrocotyle [H], Indian Pennywort [H], Marsh Penny [H], Pegaga [E], Pegaga Tekukur [E], Pegaga Ular [E], Pegagan [E], Penggaga [E], Pennywort,Marsh [E], Spadeleaf [B,P], Thick-leaved Pennywort [H], White Rot [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	asiatica = Asian;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; Fiji; India; Java; Malagasy; Malaya; Mauritius; New Zealand(Niue); Philippines; Samoa; Sumatra; Tonga; Turkey

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen perennial growing to 0.2m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 5/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist or wet soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Bog Garden, Cultivated Beds, In Walls, In South Wall, In East Wall, In West Wall.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked. Used in salads and in curries[238]. Cooked as a vegetable[272]. An aromatic flavour, we have found them to be rather overpowering in salads when used in any but small quantities[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Adaptogen; Antiinflammatory; Cardiac; Depurative; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Hypotensive; Nervine; Sedative; Skin; Tonic.

Gotu kola is an outstandingly important medicinal herb that is widely used in the Orient[238] and is becoming increasingly popular in the West[254]. Its Indian name is 'Brahmi' which means 'bringing knowledge of the Supreme Reality' and it has long been used there medicinally and as an aid to meditation[238]. It is a useful tonic and cleansing herb for skin problems and digestive disorders[254]. In India it is chiefly valued as a revitalizing herb that strengthens nervous function and memory[254].
The whole plant is alterative, cardio-depressant, hypotensive, weakly sedative and tonic[240]. It is a rejuvenating diuretic herb that clears toxins, reduces inflammations and fevers, improves healing and immunity, improves the memory and has a balancing effect on the nervous system[147, 152, 238, 240]. It has been suggested that regular use of the herb can rejuvenate the nervous system and it therefore deserves attention as a possible cure for a wide range of nervous disorders including multiple sclerosis[K]. Recent research has shown that gotu kola reduces scarring, improves circulatory problems in the lower limbs and speeds the healing process[238]. It is used internally in the treatment of wounds, chronic skin conditions (including leprosy), venereal diseases, malaria, varicose veins, ulcers, nervous disorders and senility[238, 240]. Caution should be observed since excess doses cause headaches and transient unconsciousness[238]. Externally, the herb is applied to wounds, haemorrhoids and rheumatic joints[238].
The plant can be harvested at any time of the year and is used fresh or dried[238]. Another report says that the dried herb quickly loses its medicinal properties and so is best used fresh[237].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Cosmetic.

Extracts of the plant are added to cosmetic masks and creams to increase collagen and firm the skin[238].

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist to wet soil in sun or partial shade[238]. Plants also grow on walls in the wild and so should tolerate drier conditions[K].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. It grows and spreads very well outdoors during the summer in most parts of the country and is very easy to increase by division. It can therefore be grown as a summer crop with divisions being taken during the growing season and overwintered in a greenhouse in case the outdoor plants are killed by winter cold[K].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[238]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year, after the last expected frosts[K].
Division is simple at any time in the growing season, though the spring is probably best[K]. We find that it is best to pot up the divisions until they are rooting away well, though in selected mild gardens it should be possible to plant the divisions out directly into their permanent positions[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Hydrocotyle asiatica (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[152] Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.
A very good and readable guide to the subject.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[237] Hobbs. C. Ginkgo. Elixir of Youth. Botanica Press, California. 1994 ISBN 0-9618470-3-4
Looks in detail at the medicinal virtues and also mentions some of the plants other uses. The information on traditional Chinese use and modern herbal use of the plant is backed up by an extensive bibliography.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

[265] Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993 ISBN 0730104001
Concise flora with little beyond an extensive key, species descriptions, very brief habitat description.

Readers Comments

Useful plants of Madagascar

Rich (pfaf@scs.leeds.ac.uk) Tue Nov 16 11:22:24 1999

I've just got a lovley little book in French on the useful plants of Madegascar (Plantes utiles des hautes terres de Madagascar) by Jean-Marie Samyn. Its got descriptions, photos and uses of about 100 plants listed below. You can also see all the details online at Plantes utiles.

Abrus precatorius, Acacia dealbata, Acacia mearnsii, Agauria salicifolia, Agauria polyphylla, Ageratum conyzoides, Albizzia gummifera, Aloe capitata, Aloe todaro, Aloe macroclada, Anthocleista madagascariensis, Apholoia theaeformis, Brachylaena ramiflora, Buddleja madagascariensis, Caesalpinia sepiaria, Caesalpinia decapetala, Cassia laevigata, Cassia mimosoides, Cassia occidentalis, Catharanthus lanceus, Catharantus roseus, Centella asiatica, Clerodendrum emirnense, Clerodendrum putre, Commelina madagascarica, Crinum firmifolium, Crinum ligulatum, Crinum voyoni, Cussonia bojeri, Cynodon dactylon, Datura stramonium, Dodonae madagascariensis, Dodonae viscosa, Emilia citrina, Eugenia jambolana, Eugenia jambos, Euphorbia hirta, Euphorbia milii, Euphorbia primulaefolia, Evodia madagascariensis, Ficus baroni, Ficus apodocephala, Ficus pachyclada, Ficus roussonetiaefolia, Ficus trichosphaera, Ficus pyrifolia, Ficus melleri, Ficus soroceoides, Ficus claoxyloides, Ficus phanerophlebia, Ficus xiphocuspis, Floscopa glomerata, Gomphocarpus fruticosus, Gomphocarpus cornutus, Haronga madagascariensis, Hedychium coronarium, Helichrysum bracteiferum, Helichrysum cordifolium, Helichrysum gymnocephalum, Kalanchoe laxiflora, Kalanchoe prolifera, Kaliphora madagascariensis, Lantana camara, Leonotis nepetaefolia, Maesa lanceolata, Melia azedarach, Mimosa latispinosa, Mimosa pudica, Mussaenda arcuata, Nicandra physaloides, Pavonia urens, Phyllarthron madagascariense, Physalis peruviana, Phytolacca dodecandra, Psiadia altissima, Psorospermum androsacemifolium, Ricinus communis, Senecio faujasioides, Senecio longiscapus, Sida rhombifolia, Siegesbeckia orientalis, Solanum mauritianum, Solanum nigrum, Tachiadenus longiflorus, Trema orientalis, Trema affinis, Trema cummersonii, Trema grevei, Trema grisea, Trema guineensis, Trema treme, Trema velutina, Uapaca bojeri, Urena lobata, Vernonia appendiculata.

Details of Growing Condition: Madagascar.

Cross references: Plants: Caesalprina decapetala, Euphorbia hirta, Ageratum conyzoides, Siegesbeckia orientalis pubescens, Ricinus communis, Melia azedarach, Pyrus pyrifolia, Dodonea viscosa, Nicandra physaloides, Physalis peruviana, Hedychium coronarium.

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.