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Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola

Best for

Increase blood flow

Promising early signal 8 weeks 1 meta-analysis, n=158 #4 of 21 studied

Gotu Kola shows a promising early signal across skin moisture, circulation, and focus outcomes, but evidence remains early rather than established.

Median effective dose, most-studied outcomes

  • Ease swelling and leg heaviness 60 mg 4–8 wk
  • Stay calm and trust yourself 750 mg 8 wk
  • Support your skin barrier 2,200 mg 4 wk
Full protocol, 3 outcomes

Risk, worst reported severity

  • nausea severe
  • stomach pain mild
  • digoxin moderate
  • risperidone moderate
All 13 events and interactions

What gotu kola actually does

Outcome Effect Evidence Dose Time Rank
Worth watching 4
Increase blood flow Promising early signal The circulatory system carries oxygen and nutrients to tissues throughout the body.
moderate 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=158 — 8 wk #4 /21
Sharpen focus Promising early signal Focus helps you stay with a task instead of being pulled away by distractions.
moderate 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=146 20 g 13 wk #9 /31
More hydrated skin Promising early signal Hydrated skin holds water and can feel less dry, tight, or rough.
moderate 		1 RCT 1 papers · n=106 2200 mg 4 wk #9 /15
Feel calmer and more confident Promising early signal Calmness and confidence can help you feel more grounded when demands start to build.
moderate 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=14 750 mg 8 wk #1 /2
Early research 3
Improve overall thinking Faint early signal Overall thinking brings together the mental abilities you use throughout the day.
small 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=153 — — #8 /20
Strengthen executive control Faint early signal Executive control helps you plan, shift gears, and manage impulses when tasks get demanding.
small 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=48 — — #10 /23
Ease symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency Not enough research Chronic venous insufficiency can cause leg swelling, aching, and heaviness.
— 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=— 60 mg 4–8 wk —

Effect tiers come from native-unit MCID where available, Cohen's d otherwise.

Protocol

Dose, timing & forms

How much

The most relevant oral protocols differ sharply by the preparation and goal. Early studies used 60 mg daily for leg heaviness and swelling, 750 mg daily for feeling calmer under pressure, and 2,200 mg daily for skin-barrier outcomes, so a dose only makes sense when the label clearly identifies what form it contains.123 Give it time: the available protocols ran from four weeks for skin outcomes to eight weeks for calm and circulation outcomes.123

When and how long

The studies test gotu kola as a daily routine, not an occasional rescue supplement.123 Match the schedule to the product label and the trial-backed preparation, then keep the timing consistent while you assess it over the full study-like window. The published summaries do not establish a clear advantage for morning versus evening use across these outcomes.123

Forms & standardisation

Do not treat every gotu kola product as interchangeable. Look for Centella asiatica plus the extract details and, when listed, its triterpenes such as asiaticoside and madecassoside, because those compounds are central to the plant's skin-focused research.2 A label that gives only a large herb weight without naming the extract offers much less clarity about how it relates to the studied preparations.2

Studied range, by outcome

Outcome Studied range Median effective Duration Evidence
Ease swelling and leg heaviness 60 mg 60 mg 4–8 wk 1 paper 1 sig. endpoint
Stay calm and trust yourself 750 mg 750 mg 8 wk 1 paper 1 sig. endpoint
Support your skin barrier 2,200 mg 2,200 mg 4 wk 1 paper 2 sig. endpoints

Adverse events and drug interactions

Safety events

nausea severe
stomach pain mild
hepatocellular necrosis mild
lymphocytic infiltration mild
renal tubular necrosis mild
hydronephrosis mild
gastrointestinal discomfort mild
flatulence mild

Drug interactions

digoxin moderate decreases effect
risperidone moderate decreases effect
valproic acid moderate decreases effect
fluorouracil moderate decreases concentration
doxorubicin moderate increases effect
In context

What this is and how it works

  • Skin moisture (k=1, n=106) showed positive findings; circulation also had one study (n=158). 2
  • Nine papers reviewed here spanned 26 outcomes, with promising signals concentrated in skin moisture, circulation, and focus.
  • The strongest signals came from single studies, limiting confidence about consistency and long-term effects.

Gotu kola is the common name for Centella asiatica, a leafy herb used for centuries in parts of Asia. Supplements use the whole herb or concentrated extracts rich in triterpenes, including asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid.2

Its triterpenes appear to influence the body's collagen-building and antioxidant defense systems, like giving the skin's repair crew better building materials and protection from rust.2 In nervous-system research, gotu kola also changes the startle response, a fast alarm reaction that scientists use to examine how the brain handles sudden stress.1

Bottom line

Gotu kola is worth watching if you want a non-stimulating supplement for calm under pressure, skin support, or circulation, and you accept that the human evidence is still early.123 Do not expect a proven all-purpose brain booster. If you use prescription medicines or have ongoing health concerns, check with a clinician or pharmacist before trying it.

Frequently asked

Common questions

What does gotu kola do?

Gotu kola contains plant compounds called triterpenes. Early human research links specific preparations with calmer responses under pressure, skin moisture, and small-vessel circulation, but each result comes from a limited number of trials.123

How long does gotu kola take to work?

The studied timelines depend on the goal. Skin-barrier outcomes appeared after about four weeks, while calm-under-pressure and circulation protocols ran for eight weeks.123

Is gotu kola the same as kola nut?

No. Gotu kola is Centella asiatica, a low-growing herb. Kola nut is a different plant and a source of caffeine.

Sources

Sources

  1. 1. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of Gotu Kola on acoustic startle response in healthy subjects (2000) ↑
  2. 2. Centella asiatica in cosmetology (2013)
  3. 3. Centella asiatica in the treatment of venous insufficiency

Generated August 27, 2026

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