Brahmi, Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Gotu kola is a slender, creeping plant that grows commonly in swampy areas of India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, South Africa and the tropics.
Brahmi is a perennial creeping herb with crinkled leaves and white flowers related to spinach and snapdragons. It grows floating in the waters of tropical marshes and wetlands in Florida, Central America, and India. The tops of the plant are used in herbal medicine.
Its fan shaped leaves are about the size of an old British penny - hence its common names Indian pennywort, marsh penny and water pennywort.
It is regarded as one of the most spiritual and rejuvenating herbs in Ayurveda and is used to improve meditation. It is said to develop the crown chakra, the energy center at the top of the head, and to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which the leaf is said to resemble.
Gotu kola has been widely used for a number of conditions, particularly in traditional Eastern health care.
In Ayurveda Gotu kola is one of the chief herbs for revitalizing the nerves and brain cells. It is said to fortify the immune system, both cleansing and feeding it, and to strengthen the adrenals.
It has been used as a tonic for purification of blood and for promoting healthy skin. It has also been used to aid in restful sleep, treat skin inflammations, as a treatment for high blood pressure and as a mild diuretic.
Studies demonstrated that Gotu kola destroyed cultured tumor cells in the laboratory setting (in vitro).
The leaves of this swamp plant have been used around the world for centuries to treat leprosy, cancer, skin disorders, arthritis, hemorrhoids, and tuberculosis.
In recent years, Gotu kola has become popular in the West as a nerve tonic to promote relaxation and to enhance memory. Of all Indian herbal therapies, brahmi has been established as a powerful nerve and brain tonic. It is the main revitalizing herb for the nerves and the brain cells. It has a reputation for increasing intelligence, longevity, and circulation in the brain, improving both short-term and long-term memory, and decreasing senility and aging.
The herbs calming properties make it well suited for overcoming insomnia and making one calm for yoga and meditative practices. It is commonly used to rebuild energy reserves improve memory and treat fatigue, both mental and physical. Gotu kola has been referred to as "food for the brain".
This oriental herb has demonstrated mild tranquilizing, anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects, as well as improving mental functions such as concentration and memory. It has a calming effect on the body and is chiefly used to support the central nervous system.
These beneficial qualities make Gotu kola an excellent herb for children with A.D.D. because it has a stimulating effect on the brain that increases one's ability to focus while having a soothing and relaxing effect on an overactive nervous system.
Gotu kola is often confused with kola nut. Due to this confusion, some people assume the rejuvenating properties of Gotu kola are due to the stimulating effects of caffeine contained in kola nut. In fact, Gotu kola is not related to kola nut and contains no caffeine.
There are three main chemical constituents in Gotu kola. The first is asiaticoside, which is a triterpene glycoside and classified as an antibiotic. It aids in wound healing and has been used in the treatment of leprosy and tuberculosis in the Far East. The second constituent is a pair of chemicals, brahmoside and brahminoside, which are saponin glycosides. These are diuretic in nature and have a slightly sedative action in large doses. Finally, there is madecassoside, a glycoside that is a strong anti-inflammatory agent. The plant is also a source of Vitamin K, magnesium, calcium and sodium.
Gotu Kola has been found to have significant results in healing of skin, other connective tissues, lymph tissue, blood vessels, and mucous membranes. Researchers have found that Gotu kola contains several glycosides that exhibit wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities and that asiaticosides stimulate the formation of lipids and proteins necessary for healthy skin. Gotu kola affects various stages of tissue development, including keratinization (the process of replacing skin after sores or ulcers), the synthesis of collagen (the first step in tissue repair), the stimulation of hair and nail growth, and support for the repair of cartilage. Gotu kola has been effectively used in the treatment of second and third degree burns. It has been shown to decrease healing time and reduce scar tissue formation.
Gotu kola is commonly called gotu kola but is also known as hydrocotyle or Indian pennywort.
In Sri Lanka, it was observed that elephants, noted for their longevity among beasts, fed extensively on the plant.
This gave rise to the reputation of the herb as a longevity promoter for people. Eating a few leaves daily was thought to "strengthen and revitalize worn out bodies and brains."
More recently, gotu kola has acquired a considerable reputation as an aphrodisiac, an agent that stimulates sexual desire and ability. The crushed leaves are commonly consumed by people in Sri Lanka, either in the form of a salad or as a hot beverage.
Dried gotu kola leaf can be made into a tea by adding 1-2 teaspoons to 150 ml of boiling water and allowing it to steep for ten to fifteen minutes.
In short, benefits of brahmi for specific health conditions include the following:
Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit disorder (ADD), memory problems, and Parkinson"s disease. Brahmi is useful in treating a variety of conditions that involve impaired mental capacity. Laboratory studies indicate that brahmi improves intellectual function primarily by balancing the chemicals gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in the brain. This allows the orderly firing of nerve cells involved in verbal memory and symbol recognition.
The two main active ingredients in brahmi, bacosides A and B, have been shown to increase protein kinase activity and new protein synthesis in regions of the brain associated with long-term memory. Many studies have found that brahmi produces faster performance times, reduces errors, improves acquisition and retention of learning, decreases forgetfulness, and increases the ability to adapt to new learning.
In attention deficit disorder, brahmi has the additional benefit of minimizing the production of inflammatory chemicals that interfere with circulation in the brain.
Nutritionally supports concentration, clarity and memory. Brahmi traditionally used in Ayurveda as a brain and mind tonic. It has helped spiritual seekers for millennia to attain the wisdom that they sought. It is used to naturally revitalize nerve and brain cells, to increase mental capacities, memory, concentration, intelligence, mental endurance, verbal articulation and to decrease senility, stress and stress related diseases. Promoting the clarity and mental balance needed to remain calm and efficient in today’s busy world and reducing anxiety and stress; it is an excellent formula for active people and students of all ages. For decades it has been used in the west as an energy tonic and as a smart drug under the name Gotu Kola. It promotes both physical and mental longevity, reduces negative emotions, related to the liver and has an influence on kidneys and adrenal glands as well. Furthermore it builds up nerve cells and detoxifies the brain and the nerves from toxic deposits of heavy metals. Improves memory, increases learning capacity, and relieves stress and anxiety. Ideal for students and the elderly. Traditional Ayurvedic practitioners utilized the herb for a number of conditions. It was used as a blood cleanser and to treat fevers, inflammations, joint pain and a variety of skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, boils and ulcers. Brahmi is also reputed to stimulate hair, skin and nail growth.
Ayurvedic Brahmi oil has been traditionally used as a stimulant for the hair. According to Ayurveda, Brahmi Oil can be used to maintain a healthy scalp and form a natural preventative against the dandruff and flaking.
Brahmi, combined with Ayurvedic Amla makes a unique body building formula for your hair.
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