Gotu Kola, a wonder herb

by Shari Jayawardhana

Can't find your keys, again? Wondering why you are heading to the pantry? It could be a momentary memory loss or multitasking which has led to brain fog. There is no denying that as we age, our body ages along with us and so does the brain. The human brain starts slowing down as early as age 25.

To improve the cognitive ability, we need to make some smart changes to our daily eating regimen. When you alter your diet with brain boosting foods, the results can be extraordinary.

One such brain food is Centella asiatica commonly known as Gotu Kola (Sinhala) or vallaarai (Tamil).

In Sri Lanka, it is most often prepared as a fresh salad (mallum) with coconut, tomatoes and lime juice. A traditional Sri Lankan dish is Gotu Kola Kenda (Herbal porridge) which is consumed with jaggery.

Brain food

This medicinal herb aids memory, improves learning ability and increases attention span and concentration. Students having difficulties in retaining their memory are advised to consume Gotu kola to increase their memory power. It boosts the nervous system and restores brain -cell function.

Over the past few years, Gotu Kola has become very popular in Europe as a tonic for nerves, promoting relaxation and improving memory. A member of the parsley family, it is native to tropical Asian countries such as Sri Lanka.

Gotu Kola has long been used in Sri Lankan medicine to heal skin conditions such as psoriasis, fight mental fatigue, and treat asthma, fever and stomach ulcers.Gotu Kola has been shown to stimulate the circulatory system and support blood vessels and capillaries. It is known to reduce cellulite by improving the function of the lymphatic system and strengthening connective tissues. It is also great to prevent or reduce varicose veins.

Gotu Kola reduces blood pressure and the chance of heart disease. Some take it before a long flight to reduce the chance of blood clotting and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Gotu Kola is known in South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka as the 'herb of longevity.' "Two leaves a day keep old age away" is a popular Sinhala proverb regarding the effectiveness of Gotu Kola. It was discovered that elephants in Sri Lanka who are renowned for their longevity, munched on the leaves of the Gotu Kola plant.

A Chinese Herbalist and Daoist Master, Li Ching- Yuen, who died at the age of 256 years attributed his regular intake of Gotu Kola as one of the key reasons for his long and healthy life.

Centella asiatica has been in use since times immemorial to treat wide range of ailments.

It has been subjected to quite extensive phytochemical, experimental and clinical investigations in Sri Lanka and abroad. Gotu Kola is currently marketed in capsule form throughout the world.

It is widely promoted as a nutrition supplement for improving mental abilities, maintaining heart health, stress reliever and as an anti-depressant. Tea made out of Gotu Kola is also gaining popularity in the local and international markets.

A threatened plant species

Despite these efforts to promote the curative abilities of this ancient herb, it is sad to note that it has been listed as a "Threatened" plant species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and also as an endangered species.

Propagation of Gotu Kola should be encouraged in Sri Lanka along with an increased awareness of this powerful herb especially among the younger generation.