Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a lot of wild plants grow inplantations, fields, road edges, and the rice field. These wild herbs found all over Indonesia, from tropical Asia. This plant likes a slightly moist soil and getting enough sun or shade. Sometimes planted as ground cover in plantations or as a vegetable crop, there are up to a height of 2,500 m above sea level.
Centella asiatica is a chronic herb without stems, but with short rhizome and a creeping stolon length 10 cm - 80 cm, roots out of every hump, much branched to form a new plant. Single leaf blade, long-stemmed around 5 cm - 15 cm-shaped kidney. Jagged edges with a cross section 1-7 cm arranged in a rosette consisting of 2-10 pieces of leaf, sometimes a bit hairy. Flowers white or pink, arranged in essay form umbrella, single or 3-5 together out of the armpit leaves. Flower stalks 5-50 mm. Small fruit that is oval shaped depends / compressed length from 2 to 2.5 mm, smells fragrant and tastes bitter.
Centella asiatica taste sweet, be cool, has the function of cleaning the blood, blood circulation, paved the urine (diuretic), fever (antipiretika), stop the bleeding (haemostatika), increased neural memory, anti-bacterial, tonic, antispasma, antiinflammatory, hypotensive, insecticide , allergy and stimulants. Saponin which is inhibiting the production of excessive scar tissue (keloids inhibit).
Other gotu kola benefits of improving blood circulation to the arms and legs, prevent varicose and wrong veins, improve memory, mental and stamina, and decreased symptoms of stress and depression. In the study at a hospital in Surabaya can be used to lower blood pressure. The decline was not drastic, so suitable for elderly patients.
Gotu kola to treat diseases such as hepatitis, measles, fever, tonsillitis, sore throat, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, red eyes, hemorrhoids, poisoning, vomiting blood, coughing blood, nosebleeds, intestinal worms, and leprosy.
Gotu kola is known as Centella Herba contains asiaticoside, thankuniside, isothankuniside, madecassoside, brahmoside, brahmic acid, brahminoside, madasiatic acid, meso-inositol, centelloside, carotenoids, hydrocotylin, vellarine, tannins and mineral salts such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and iron. Allegedly triterpenoida glycoside called asiaticoside an anti-leprosy and wound healing which incredible. Substance vellarine is giving a bitter taste.