Centella Asiatica, most popularly known as Gotu Kola, also commonly named kodavan, Indian pennywort, and Asiatic pennywort, is an herbaceous, perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. Found in its native wetland regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and the western Pacific Oceanic islands, this unassuming, leafy, aquatic herb has stood the test of time as one of the most revered rejuvenating, adaptogenic tonics of the ancient traditional medical world. This multitasking plant, cherished for its applications in Indonesian, Chinese, and Ayurvedic systems, has been variously dubbed the “herb of longevity” and the “herb of enlightenment” as a tribute to its diverse anti-aging and healing properties for both internal and external application, with a special affinity for nervous, microcirculatory, lymphatic and connective tissues. In Sri Lanka, it was observed that elephants sought Gotu Kola as a regular part of their diet, and thus the plant became associated with the well-established long lifespan and memory of these creatures. Monks, yogis, and Daoist practitioners have attributed their spiritual and cognitive prowess to the regular ingestion of Gotu Kola.
Modern research into the plant’s pharmacological properties and clinical benefits bears these beliefs out: Gotu Kola is rich in triterpenoid saponins, aka centelloids, a class of flavonoids that have been found to strengthen blood vessel walls and increase their elasticity, resulting in improved cerebral blood flow and small capillary integrity. These same compounds prove effective in the treatment of peripheral varicose and spider veins, fragile capillaries, redness, water retention, slackening sub-dermal structures, stretch marks, and stubborn cellulite. Additionally, amino acids, tannins, phytosterols, and sugars contained in Gotu Kola provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, which boost collagen synthesis, protecting surface and deeper skin layers from the signs of aging and environmental degradation.
Gotu Kola is equally prized for scalp health and hair loss since increased circulation to the scalp delivers more nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles, increasing hair vitality and strength. Other skincare benefits include speeding wound healing, hemorrhoid repair, absorbing and cleansing impurities and toxins from the skin, and calming topical treatments to ease muscle and joint pain in liniments or massage oils.
Given the wide versatility of cosmetic and therapeutic applications of this superstar botanical, it boasts a key role in hair, face, body oils, ointments, emulsions, serums, gels, shampoos, masks, and more. Gotu Kola Extract Powder may be used to capitalize on all these benefits for a variety of products.
