Turn your phone side ways for best viewing!
Gotu Kola
Centella asiastica
Ezekiel 47:12 "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine."
Nicknames: Indian Pennywort[7], Asiatic Pennywort, Spadeleaf, Coinwort or Gotu Kola[1] It also goes by the name of Hydrocotyle[8]
Classification: Perennial; Nootropic;
Plant Family: Apiaceae;[1] Genus: Centella;[1] Species: C. asiatica;[1]
Ethnobotany: Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) is known in India as an herb that revitalizes the brain.[3] It's suggested by herbalists for depression and earache.[6] The Gotu kola plant is traditionally used to treat a broad range of ailments and diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis, measles, toothache, syphilis, leucorrhoea etc.[11]
Natural Habitat: Africa, Asia, Australia, and islands in the western Pacific Ocean.[1] It grows in abundance near swampy areas of India and Sri Lanka, and in South Africa.[8]
Mixes well with: I don't know this plant well yet, but I will update it as I learn more. I am honest on this website and do no b.s. I back up statements with academic sources and cite them properly.
OG Observations: I recently purchased some of this for the second time in my life. I'm very interested in nootropics so I wanted to incorporate it into my routine somehow. I can't do Ginkgo biloba everyday because of my ulcer(it triggers bleeding). Ginkgo is only safe to take one day for me and then stop for weeks. Gotu on the other hand, does not have a negative impact on ulcers that I'm aware of. I will update this page once I have had experience with it(which will be soon), and share my report. I will add a photo of the product once it arrives.
How Ethnobotany, The Ethnobotanical Industry, The Occult, and Big Pharma Are All Connected There's a war going on. There's a war going on for the control of all medicines and drugs on the planet. There are spiritual wars, and there's a connection between these phenomena. Ethnobotany is the study of the cultural use of plants, which typically encompases the religious or spiritual use of plants.[2] Indegenous cultures consumed psychoactive, psychedelic, and poisonous plants in connection with occult practices listed in Deuteronomy 18.[2] Ethnobotanist study these plants, their use, and tend to know about their phytochemistry, which brings me to my next point. Ethnobotany and phytochemistry are related fields, because it is the ethnobotanist research that tells the phytochemist which plants to study in the laboratory.[2] The two fields share information and are married to one another. From there, phytochemistry is tied to the big pharmaceutical industry because they take the knowledge of these phytochemicals produced by plants like Gotu kola, and use it to craft their own "in the likeness of" versions of these naturaly reoccuring drugs.[2] Isolates(or pure phytochemicals) are much better drugs than anything big pharma can craft. The serpent on the side of the ambulance perverts the molecules to their own desire rather than that of the creator. The ethnobotanical industry provides researcherse with safe and quick access to ethnobotanical specimens from across the globe, and helps researchers in the developement and discovery of new medications.[2] My interest in these things is merely to better understand each plant and what its really doing to my body.
Phytochemicals: asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticosside, madecassoside, brahmoside, brahmic acid, brahminoside, thankiniside, isothankunisode, centelloside, madasiatic acid, centic acid, and cenellicacid.[3][8] asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticosside, madecassoside1 specifically, are the most biologically active components of this herbal remedy(Gotu kola).[3] It's also high in phenolic contents, as well as quercetin, kaempherol, catechin, rutin, apigenin and naringin and volatile oils such as caryophyllene, farnesol and elemene.[3] You can look each one of these individual components up and read insane amounts of academic literature on each one. Each phytochemical component of not only Gotu kola, but of any other herbal remedy, has a wide range of pharmacologically active properties. These ethnobotanicals are not just a single unit of medicine, but rather an entire pharmacy of medicine. According to another great source it produces: saponin glycosides, another glycoside called madecassoside which has anti-inflammatory activity, and then astiaticoside, which has wound-healing properties by stimulating mitosis.[8] The herb also produces: α-terpinene, α-copaene, and β-caryophyllene[11] You can learn a great deal more about these in infinite detail from various academic sources as well. Always remember I barely scratch the surface on these medicines, and the scientific research behind their pharmacology is astronomical.
Phenolic compounds: I want to talk about individual components of plants to illustrate their complex pharmacology, and how they are literally the only real medicine on our majestic planet. Phenolic compounds are medicines produced by plants.[9] They are the most abundant form of secondary metabolites found in plants.[9] The main group of phenolic compounds include: flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, stilbenes, and lignans.[9] These constituents are very common in most plants. According to the National Institute Of Health: "Plant phenolic compounds can act as antioxidants, structural polymers (lignin), attractants (flavonoids and carotenoids), UV screens (flavonoids), signal compounds (salicylic acid and flavonoids) and defense response chemicals (tannins and phytoalexins). From a human physiological standpoint, phenolic compounds are vital in defense responses, such as anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities."[10] If I were to share all of the knowledge on Phenolics here on this page, it would take your web-browser ten years to load it, and me twenty years to type it all up.. Feel free to dig further from academic sources online like PubMed, and others. Why consume more foods high in beneficial phenolics? "It is beneficial to eat such plant foods that have a high antioxidant compound content, which will cut down the incidence of certain chronic diseases, for instance diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases, through the management of oxidative stress."[10]
Brahmic acid, brahminoside, isobrahmic acid and brahmoside: Phytochemical researchers who study medicinal-plants(ethnobotanicals) in the lab for their pharmacology have isolated Brahmic acid, brahminoside, isobrahmic acid and brahmoside from the plant and found that they are responsible for its sedative, anti convulsant and psychotropic properties.[11]
α-terpinene "α-terpinene, did not statistically alter basal tone; however, it induced myorelaxant effects on top of contractions induced by KCl, ACh and 5-HT. α-terpinene also inhibited the contractions induced by barium in presence of High [K+] (80 mM). The data suggest that the relaxation induced by these agents is caused by the inhibition of L-type VGCC, inhibiting the inward Ca2+ current through these channels, but does not exclude the possibility of participation of other mechanisms."[12] I don't claim to understand exactly what this means but let's learn together. I know that the 5-HT from the first sentence is a receptor site in the brain, often targeted by serotonergic psychedelics(lsd, lsa, psilocybin, dmt, mescaline, etc).[x][x] Anytime you see the words "inhibit" in reference to the action of a substance, you need to consider the Arndt Schultz Law, which basically teaches us that substances can have the total opposite effects depending upon the dosage administered.[18] This means that one dose may inhibit, and another dose may stimulate. Studies can be very misleading if you don't keep these facts in mind, because again different dosages administered in studies will render totally different results. What is a L-type VGCC? Answer: "L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are multisubunit membrane proteins that regulate calcium influx into excitable cells."[13] If you're like me, this only raises more questions. What is calcium influx into excitable cells? "Action potentials open voltage-sensitive calcium channels in excitable cells, leading to an influx of calcium ions. Calcium ions may control, among others, cell excitability, neurotransmitter release, or gene transcription."[14] Again, this raises more questions. Cell excitability is: "Excitability is the ability of a cell to generate and propagate a large, rapid potential change in response to a relatively small trigger stimulus."[15] "Transcription, as related to genomics, is the process of making an RNA copy of a gene's DNA sequence."[16] This would explain why the science shows that Gotu kola is actually DNA protective.[17]
Quercetin: Quercetin is most commonly found in fruits and vegetables.[19] With that in mind, coupled with the vast amount of vitamins found in Gotu kola, one can argue that it's as healthy as food, if not better for you than a lot of food. According to the National Library Of Medicine: Quercetin has numerous health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral, as well as anti-cancer properties."[19] It has potent antioxidant effects which protect from free radicals, as well as against cellular damage.[19] "The powerful substance also has anti-inflammatory effects and exhibits anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis."[19] "It also offers cardio benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol levels, and improving endothelial function, making it a promising candidate for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases."[19] This is just the benefits of Quercetin alone. When we examine the pharmacology of each individual component of this plant alone, we can start to see how complex and beneficial these herbal remedies really are. Ethnobotanicals such as Gotu Kola are literally pharmaceutical factories, producing potentially hundreds of pharmacologically active chemical constituents, otherwise known as phytochemicals. We know this thanks to the study of phytochemistry, and ethnobotany.[2][6][7][8]
Nutritional Value: Gotu kola isn't just an herbal medicine, it also has high nutritional value. It produces and contains vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, carotene and vitamin A.[3] "The total ash contains chloride, sulphate, phosphate, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium."[3] There are very common claims being made around the herbal community saying that longterm use of Gotu Kola may be harmful, so please note. It sounds like the same rule of thumb that you apply with Echinacea, meaning it isn't something you can take everyday for the rest of your life without any breaks from it. You have to eventually abstain. Remember prophets like Moses abstained from consuming things, they believed in the spiritual benefits of fasting from time to time. He knew about botanicals too, and understood that when it thundered, that the thunder was God speaking.(Exodus 19:16–20) Moses can be described as a Christian version of a wizard.
Pharmacological / Medicinal Properties: anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, for wound healing, memory enhancing properties and many others.[3] Gotu kola has antifungal properties too.[3] Scientist examined ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts of Centella asiatica for its pharmacology, and found that they produce a significantly higher rate of antifungal activity against numerous fungal strains like Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans, that extracts made using only water.[3] This study and its conclusions prove a valid and valuable point to those interested in making your own at home herbal medicine preparations. Alcohol vs tea matters, because not all phytochemicals are soluble in water, and you're going to need to make a decision on how you want to use your medicine, tea or tincture. I will discuss this more in the next paragraph. According to a really awesome book of mine that includes academic sources in its bibliography in the back, "Gotu kola works on maintaining and improving the health of the veins. When veins lose their normal tone, blood tends to stagnate, resulting in varicose veins and phlebitis. The net effect is improved circulation, and enhanced memory, concentration, and brain function."[7] Gotu kola is known to be an effective blood purifier(antidote to poison), diuretic(), and to promote the healing of skin conditions, to treat leprosy, and as a potent revitalizer that can promote longevity(anti-aging).[8] Some more good information to you to konw is that high doses of the drug have a sedative effect.[8] This tells me that small doses should have the opposite effect(stimulant), based on the Arndt Schultz Law.[18] The herb produces: antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antifilarial, antiviral and various other pharmacological activities.[11]
Something you can do to get the optimal full spectrum effect from your medicinal preparation that you're going to make using Gotu kola or whatever herb you're working with, is to make both a tea, and a tincture, and then combine the two, after converting your tea into a syrup. You can take your tea, and leave it cooking for an extended period of time(after you strain out the plant material so it is nothing but the actual tea), and it will eventually turn into a syrup because the water will become less and less. Once it gets to a syrup consistency remove it from the heat and cover it. Now you can add this in with an already prepared Gotu kola tincture, and get a true full spectrum effect. I'm dead against the ancient occult practice of plant alchemy due to the idolatry and false god worship and other deutronomy 18 elements, but they did know some useful stuff for people who make medicine, and that is that the plant salts can be extracted from the ashes left over after the plant material has been burned(after it is used to make a tea and tincture, and then strained and dried of course).[4][5] These salts can be added back into the preparation. The end result is your tincture is now spiked with a syrup made from a tea of the plant, and then the plant salts have been isolated out of the remaining ashes to increase the potency even more.[4][5] Full spectrum. The ashes are filtered with either water or alcohol, I can't remember, but the result is diamond like crystals.[4][5] They called it "calcination".[4][5] I have to give a sincere and dire warning to all, avoid the occult it will bring a curse upon you. There is however, a connection between modern chemistry(the pharmaceutical industry), and the occult. That doesn't mean however, that God didn't give us medicine.
More HerbsPedia Blogs: List Of Medical Terms And Their Meanings, Olmedioperebea sclerophylla, Cowage(Mucuna pruriens), Lemon Balm(Melissa officinalis), Opium Poppy(Papaver somniferum), Argyreia nervosa
Buy Centella casiatica
Academic citations:
[3] Seevaratnam, Vasantharuba, et al. "Functional properties of Centella asiatica (L.): A review." Int J Pharm Pharm Sci 4.5 (2012): 8-14.
[4] Cotnoir, Brian. The Weiser concise guide to alchemy. Weiser Books, 2006.
[5] Junius, Manfred M. Spagyrics: The Alchemical Preparation of Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co, 2007.
[9] Radia Ayad, Salah Akkal, Chapter 12 - Phytochemistry and biological activities of algerian Centaurea and related genera, Editor(s): Atta-ur-Rahman, Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, Elsevier, Volume 63, 2019, Pages 357-414, ISSN 1572-5995, ISBN 9780128179017, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817901-7.00012-5. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128179017000125)
[10] Lin, Derong, et al. "An overview of plant phenolic compounds and their importance in human nutrition and management of type 2 diabetes." Molecules 21.10 (2016): 1374. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6274266/
[11] Zahara, Kulsoom, Yamin Bibi, and Shaista Tabassum. "01. Clinical and therapeutic benefits of Centella asiatica." Pure and Applied Biology (PAB) 3.4 (2021): 152-159
[12] Pereira-de-Morais, LuÃs, et al. "Myorelaxant action of the Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants essential oil and its major constituent α-terpinene in isolated rat trachea." Food Chemistry 325 (2020): 126923.
[13] Wang, Ming-Chuan, Annette Dolphin, and Ashraf Kitmitto. "L-type voltage-gated calcium channels: understanding function through structure." FEBS letters 564.3 (2004): 245-250. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15111104/
[14] Gerard, J., G. Borst, and Fritjof Helmchen. "[20] Calcium influx during an action potential." Methods in enzymology. Vol. 293. Academic Press, 1998. 352-371.
[15] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/excitability
[16] https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Transcription
[17]Joy, Jisha, and Cherupally Krishnan Krishnan Nair. "Protection of DNA and membranes from gamma-radiation induced damages by Centella asiatica." Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 61.7 (2009): 941-947. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19589237/
[18] Sharma, Rajneesh Kumar. "Arndt Schultz Law and Its Applications."
[2] Balick, Michael J., and Paul Alan Cox. Plants, People, and Culture : The Science of Ethnobotany. New York, Garland Science, 2020.
[6] New Choices In Natural Healing: Over 1,800 Of The Best Self-Help Remedies From The World Of Alternative Medicine ISBN: 0875962572
[7] Miller, B. B. (1998). The Nutrition Guarantee: A Complete Guide To Better Health, Disease, Prevention, and Treatment. Arlington, TX: Summit Pub. Group.
[8] Tyler, Varro E, et al. Pharmacognosy. 1988 (9th Edition).
Encyclopedia Sources:
[1] Wikipedia contributors, "Centella asiatica," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centella_asiatica (accessed December 19, 2024).
Other resources:
M.A.P.S. Ethnobotanical Studies By Scholars
PubChem - pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov