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Gotu Kola

Botanical Name(s): Centella Asiatica
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Apiales
Family: Appiaceae
Genus: Centella L.
Species: Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.
Popular Name(s): Indian Pennywort, Artayniya-e Hindi, Jal Brahmi, Brahmi, Brahma-manduki
Parts Used: Whole Plant
Habitat: Grown in waterlogged places throughout India

Description
Gotu kola is a perennial plant native to India and other tropical countries. Its appearance changes, depending on growing conditions. In shallow water, the plant puts forth floating roots and the leaves rest on top of the water. In dry locations, it puts out numerous small roots and the leaves are small and thin. The stems of the plant are slender, with creeping stolons, interconnecting one plant to the other. The rootstock consists of rhizomes, which grow vertically downwards. The rhizomes have a cream color and are covered with root hair. The flowers of the plant range from pinkish to red in color.

Plant Chemicals
Indocentelloside, brahmoside, brahminoside, asiaticoside, thankuniside and isothankuniside are the glycosides found in the plant. The corresponding triterpene acids obtained on hydrolysis of these glycosides are indocentoic, brahmic, asiatic, thankunic and isothankunic. These acids, except the thankunic and isothankunic, are also present in free form in the plant, apart from isobrahmic and betulic acids. The presence of mesoinositol, ‘centellose’ (a new oligosaccharide), kaempferol, quercetin and stigmasterol, have also been reported. The main active ingredients found are Bacoside A and B.

Uses & Benefits of Gotu Kola
Caution