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Botanical

Gotu Kola

Gotu kola is Centella asiatica, a leafy plant used as food and in traditional medicine. Its constituents include triterpenoids such as asiaticoside and madecassoside.

Also listed as Indian Pennywort, Jal Brahmi, Mandookaparni, Brahmi

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Rare liver injury deserves attention

LiverTox describes rare liver injury with jaundice after oral Centella products, although contamination or other ingredients were not excluded in the reports. Mild digestive symptoms, headache and dizziness have also occurred in small trials, often at similar rates to controls. 1

Limits of topical medicinal use

EMA limits its traditional topical preparations to one week and does not recommend them under age 18, during pregnancy or breastfeeding because data are insufficient. Allergy to the plant or related Apiaceae plants is a contraindication. 2

For information, not individual medical advice. Ingredient studies do not establish the effectiveness of these products.

Sources

  1. Centella asiatica LiverTox, NIDDK, 2024