Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica): Uses, Evidence and Safety
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica): reports of liver injury, the EU skin-use monograph for minor wounds, small studies on memory and anxiety, and why "brahmi" can mean two plants.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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What is Gotu kola good for?
What the body uses it for, and how strong the evidence is. A normal job in the body is not proof that extra supplements add benefit; each card says which.
Minor wound healing (skin use)
Preliminary or mixedA systematic review found four clinical trials and concluded gotu kola might enhance wound healing, but more studies are needed. The EU herbal committee accepts a traditional skin use to aid healing of minor wounds.
Supplements: Few small trials of varying products; not enough to say it works. The EU status rests on long-standing use, not on proof.
Traditional use (not proof)
Lab or animal research onlyGotu kola is a traditional medicinal plant. The EU classes the skin product as traditional use based only on long-standing use.
Supplements: Tradition is not evidence of benefit.
Memory and mood in healthy older adults
Preliminary or mixedOne randomised, double-blind trial in 28 healthy older adults taking an extract for 2 months reported better working memory at the highest dose and better self-rated mood.
Supplements: Single small trial; needs repeating before any conclusion. Not tested in people with dementia in the sources read.
Anxiety symptoms
Preliminary or mixedOne study of 33 people taking an ethanol extract for 60 days reported lower anxiety scores, but it had no placebo group.
Supplements: Uncontrolled study; insufficient to support an anxiety claim.
Leg vein problems (chronic venous insufficiency)
Preliminary or mixedA Cochrane review of 69 trials of oral vein-support products found a slight reduction in leg swelling overall; only two trials used Centella asiatica, so the result is not specific to it.
Supplements: Group result only; no conclusion for gotu kola alone. The group made little difference to quality of life or ulcer healing and slightly more side effects.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Health goals (2)
- Healthy SkinPreliminary or mixed
Traditionally applied to minor wounds; a systematic review of four trials found it might aid healing but more studies are needed, and the EU accepts a traditional skin use.
- Memory SupportPreliminary or mixed
One small trial in healthy older adults reported better working memory; it needs repeating.
Body systems (4)
- Hepatic / Liver SystemDocumented risk
Case reports link oral gotu kola to hepatitis and jaundice; how often is unknown.
- Liver & DetoxDocumented risk
Case reports link oral gotu kola to hepatitis and jaundice; how often is unknown. It is not a liver-cleansing herb.
- Integumentary SystemPreliminary or mixed
Traditionally applied to minor wounds; a systematic review of four trials found it might aid healing but more studies are needed, and the EU accepts a traditional skin use.
- Skin, Hair & BeautyPreliminary or mixed
Traditionally applied to minor wounds; a systematic review of four trials found it might aid healing but more studies are needed, and the EU accepts a traditional skin use.
Body parts (2)
Root causes (1)
- Medication Side EffectsDocumented risk
Gotu kola itself can be the cause of a harmful reaction (liver injury) in case reports.
Biomarkers (1)
- ALTDocumented risk
In the case series, ALT was very high (324 to 1694 U/L) when liver injury occurred; liver blood tests are how it is detected.
Conditions & symptoms (1)
- Drug-Induced Liver DiseaseDocumented risk
Case reports describe herb-induced hepatitis and jaundice after gotu kola; frequency is unknown.
Documented risks and interactions (5)
- Liver injury (documented risk). Case reports describe jaundice and hepatitis in three adult women after 20 to 60 days of gotu kola, and a separate letter reports liver toxicity in a child. Liver damage improved after stopping and returned in one woman who took it again.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding caution. The EU monograph does not recommend use in pregnancy or breastfeeding because safety has not been established.
- Children and teenagers. The EU monograph does not recommend use under 18; a published letter describes liver toxicity in a child.
- Allergy to the carrot family (Apiaceae). The EU monograph lists hypersensitivity to plants of the Apiaceae family as a contraindication.
- Safety data gaps. The EU monograph notes that tests for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed, and its skin-use findings do not cover swallowed products. The sources read do not describe oral drug interactions.
Safety first: liver. A published case series described three women, aged 49 to 61, who developed jaundice after taking Centella asiatica for 20 to 60 days. [1] Liver tests were very high, biopsies showed hepatitis, all improved after the herb was stopped, and one woman's liver damage returned when she took it again. [1] A separate letter reports gotu kola-induced liver toxicity in a child. [2] These are case reports, so they show a possible link and not how often it happens. If you use gotu kola, tell your clinician, and learn the warning signs in Liver Safety and Supplements.
Overview
Gotu kola is a common name for Centella asiatica. This page is the plant profile. The Ayurvedic tradition is in Gotu Kola (Mandukaparni) in Ayurveda, and skin uses are compared in Herbs for Skin, Acne, Eczema and Wounds.Scientific name, plant part and a name trap
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. is the accepted name in the GBIF plant database, in the family Apiaceae. [3] The European monograph covers the dried "herba" (the above-ground herb). [4] The other plant often called "brahmi" is Bacopa monnieri, a different plant in a different family. See Bacopa. Results for one do not apply to the other.Traditional use (not proof)
A 2022 review of wound-healing trials describes C. asiatica as a traditional medicinal plant. [5] The EU monograph describes the product as a traditional herbal medicine for use "exclusively based upon long-standing use". [4] That is a regulatory category and does not mean the use is proven.What the EU regulator says
The EMA herbal committee (HMPC) adopted a monograph on 30 March 2022 for a traditional herbal medicine "used to aid in healing of minor wounds", applied to the skin as an infusion dressing or powder. [4] It lists use for no more than 1 week, says use under 18 years is not recommended, lists hypersensitivity to plants of the Apiaceae family as a contraindication, and says use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended because safety has not been established. [4] It lists no reported interactions and no known undesirable effects, and notes that tests for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed. [4] This monograph is about skin use, not about swallowing the herb.What research shows (research, not tradition)
| Use | What the source found | Evidence label | Population and form studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wound healing | A systematic review found four clinical trials, and concluded gotu kola might enhance healing but that more studies are needed before a meta-analysis is possible. [5] | Promising but limited | Wounds; products not specified in the abstract |
| Leg vein problems (chronic venous insufficiency) | A Cochrane review pooled 69 trials of oral "phlebotonics", of which two used Centella asiatica. Pooled results showed a slight reduction in leg swelling for the whole group, and the results are not specific to gotu kola. [6] | Insufficient evidence for gotu kola alone | Adults; oral products |
| Memory and mood in healthy older people | A randomized trial in 28 healthy older adults taking 250, 500 or 750 mg once daily for 2 months reported better working memory at the high dose. [7] | Promising but limited | Small trial; one extract |
| Generalized anxiety | A study in 33 people taking a 70% ethanol extract for 60 days reported less anxiety, with no placebo group in the abstract we read. [8] | Insufficient evidence | Small uncontrolled study |
| Dementia, scars, other uses | Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. We searched PubMed for gotu kola reviews and trials. | Not established | n/a |
Forms and why the form matters
The EU monograph covers a skin infusion and powder. [4] The memory and anxiety studies used oral extracts. [7][8] A result with one form should not be assumed for another. See Herb Forms and Preparations.Safety and who should ask first
- Liver: see the box above and Herbs and Liver Injury.
- Medicines: the EU monograph lists none reported, which describes the skin product. [4] For oral use the sources we read do not say. Ask a pharmacist, and see How Interactions Work.
- Sedatives and brain-active medicines: not described in the sources we read.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: not recommended in the EU monograph. [4] See Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
- Children: the monograph does not recommend use under 18. [4] The liver letter above concerns a child. [2]
- Allergy: hypersensitivity to Apiaceae plants is a contraindication in the monograph. [4]
- Kidney, bleeding, surgery: not described in the sources we read. Tell the surgical team about every herb you use.
Frequently asked questions
Can gotu kola harm the liver?
Case reports describe hepatitis after gotu kola in three adult women and in a child. [1][2]
Is gotu kola the same as brahmi?
Not always. Brahmi is also a name for Bacopa monnieri, a different plant. [9]
Does gotu kola help wounds or scars?
A systematic review found four trials and said it might enhance healing but more studies are needed. [5] Proper evidence not found for scars in the sources we read.
Does gotu kola help anxiety or memory?
Small studies reported benefits, but one was a 28-person trial and the other had no placebo group in the abstract we read. [7][8]
Is gotu kola safe in pregnancy?
The EU herbal committee says use is not recommended because safety has not been established. [4]
Related: Herbs for Memory, Focus and Brain Health.
References
- Hepatotoxicity associated with the ingestion of Centella asiatica. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2005. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Gotu Kola induced hepatotoxicity in a child - need for caution with alternative remedies. Dig Liver Dis 2011 (letter, title only). Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. (species 3034128). Available at api.gbif.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., herba, Revision 1 (EMA/HMPC/489142/2020, adopted 30 March 2022). Available at www.ema.europa.eu. Read 2026-10-23.
- A Systematic Review of the Effect of Centella asiatica on Wound Healing. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Phlebotonics for venous insufficiency. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Positive modulation of cognition and mood in the healthy elderly volunteer following the administration of Centella asiatica. J Ethnopharmacol 2008. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- A clinical study on the management of generalized anxiety disorder with Centella asiatica. Nepal Med Coll J 2010. Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- Exploring the Role of "Brahmi" (Bacopa monnieri and Centella asiatica) in Brain Function and Therapy. Recent Pat Endocr Metab Immune Drug Discov 2011 (title only). Available at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.