Skip to content
Soul of Herbs
← Back to herbs

Centella asiatica

Gotu kola

Caution

Other names: Gotu kola, Asiatic pennywort

Asian pennywort; wetlands and cultivated beds; traditional use in Asia.

Creeping stems, kidney-shaped leaves in whorls.

Family
Apiaceae
Plant type
Perennial herb
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
  • Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
  • Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
  • Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
  • Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
  • Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
  • High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
  • Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Gotu kola — plant habitus (Wikimedia Commons).

Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).

Plant habit

Safety — read before use

For this herb it is important to check warnings, mix-ups and cautions. Start with the Safety section.

Quick overview

A practical summary; details are in the sections below.

Safety grade
Caution details
Scientific sources on the card
Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
When and what to harvest
  • Leaf — January–December
Full harvest section
Processing methods

Culinary use, Herbal infusion (tea), Salve / ointment

All methods and recipes on the card
Topics and symptoms

Healing after procedures (general context), Memory & mental freshness, Skin

Topics section, Symptoms overview

Identification and mix-ups

Characteristic leaf shape—verify when gathering.

Possible mix-ups and risks

Related Centella species.

Similar herbs

  • Brahmi

    Both are sold as 'brahmi' in India. Pennywort has round, kidney-shaped leaves on long stalks and creeping stems; bacopa has small fleshy opposite leaves and grows in water.

Topics and symptoms

More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.

Geographic occurrence

  • Myanmar

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Japan

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Brazil

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Mexico

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • India

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Indonesia

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Thailand

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Viet Nam

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

Harvest

  • LeafJanuary–December

    celoročně

    Region: India

    Notes: Leaves with stalks are picked throughout the year from damp sites and gardens, ideally in the morning; the whole aerial part is dried. Pick only where the water is clean — the plant grows on banks and in ditches.

Storage

  • Refrigeration(Leaf)

    Fresh leaves keep 3–4 days in the fridge in a damp cloth; for salad use fresh only.

    Moisture:
    They wilt and rot quickly; do not wash ahead.
    Safety:
    Wash thoroughly before eating — it grows by water.
  • Drying(Leaf)

    Dried herb keeps 12 months in a closed container.

    Light:
    Out of light — the leaf fades.
    Moisture:
    Protect from moisture.

Processing methods on this herb card

  • Culinary use(Leaf)Suitability: High suitability

    Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).

    Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

    Gotukola sambol — Sri Lankan pennywort salad

    About 15 minBeginnerScience profile

    Open recipe →

  • Herbal infusion (tea)(Leaf)Suitability: Medium suitability

    Infusion or brief extraction in hot water; usually without long boiling.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    In the narrow sense, "tea" often means an infusion: you pour water just off the boil over the dried plant matter and let it steep for a few minutes. Temperature, steep time, and the herb-to-water ratio change both flavour and what dissolves into the liquid.

    Compared with a decoction, heat exposure is shorter and gentler; tender leaves and flowers are often better as an infusion than with prolonged simmering. For each herb, always follow the plant card for suitable plant part, preparation, and safety notes — general rules never replace species-level judgement.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

  • Salve / ointment(Leaf)Suitability: Medium suitability

    Solid base (wax, fat) with herbal extract or macerate; usually topical.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Salves combine extracted or finely ground herb with fat and often beeswax. Consistency depends on ratios; protective or emollient salves aim for a skin film with slow release.

    Clean work reduces microbial contamination; refrigerated storage may extend life per recipe.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: yes

    External use on intact skin; stop if irritation appears.

Traditional / spiritual use

Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.

  • Mandukaparni — the herb of memory and meditation

    General

    Traditional useFolk useHerbal lorePsychosomatic interpretations

    In Ayurveda pennywort bears the name mandukaparni ('frog leaf') and is counted among the medhya rasayanas, remedies 'for the mind' said to support memory and calm in meditation; yogis, tradition says, ate it before long sittings. The name brahmi sometimes applied to it properly belongs to bacopa — the two plants are confused under it. A record of tradition, not proof of an effect on memory.

    Form:
    list v jídle a nápoji, „bylina meditace“
    Claim strength:
    Tradition
    Source note:
    Ayurvedic tradition (the Charaka Samhita lists mandukaparni among the medhya rasayanas); review by Gohil et al. 2010.

Scientific notes

Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.

How to read evidence strength and study type labels

Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.

Evidence strength

Evidence level not specified
The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
Narrative / orientational literature
Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
Weak evidence
Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
Preliminary findings
First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
Moderate strength of evidence
Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
Stronger evidence
Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
Review article
A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.

Study type

Narrative / expert text
Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
In vitro study
Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
Animal study
Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
Observational study
Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
Clinical trial
Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
Randomised controlled trial
Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
Review study
A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
Systematic review
Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
Meta-analysis
Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.

  • The HMPC issued a monograph for pennywort herb in the area 'skin disorders and minor wounds': it recognises traditional external use for minor skin inflammation and to support healing of minor wounds. The earlier public statement of 2010, when a monograph could not be established, was superseded by the 2022 revision.

    Review articleRegulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)Year: 2022

    Limitations: Traditional external use; internal medicinal use is not covered by the monograph. Human clinical studies are few and small.

    EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)

    European Union herbal monograph on Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., herba (Revision 1)

  • The review summarises the triterpene saponins (asiaticoside, madecassoside) and laboratory and small clinical studies on wound healing, collagen synthesis and venous insufficiency; it also mentions the traditional 'memory' use without adequate clinical support.

    Narrative / orientational literatureReview studyYear: 2010

    Limitations: A narrative review whose 'cure-all' title is itself a warning against overestimation; mostly in vitro and animal data. It notes isolated case reports of hepatotoxicity after internal use.

    Gohil KJ, Patel JA, Gajjar AK — Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

    Pharmacological review on Centella asiatica: A potential herbal cure-all

    DOI: 10.4103/0250-474X.78519

Images

The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.

Safety

What the warning types mean

The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.

Internal use
Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
Interactions / medicines
Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
Raw plant parts
Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
Toxins and regulation
Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
Contact with the plant
Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
Allergy
Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
Harvesting and contamination
Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.
  • Isolated liver injury after internal useModerate severityInternal use

    The literature holds isolated case reports of liver injury after several weeks of internal use of pennywort preparations (tablets, extracts). The EMA monograph recognises external use only. Fresh leaf in food is a different category from a concentrated supplement taken daily.

    Source