Gotu kola is a medicinal herb that is also called by the names brahmi, Indian pennywort and marsh pennywort, according to Medicinal Herb Info. The portions of this low, creeping vine are the aerial parts and the seeds. Before beginning to take gotu kola, consult your health care provider for instructions.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a dangerous health condition that can go undiagnosed for years, says MayoClinic.com. Hypertension doesn't always have symptoms but increases the risk of dangerous health conditions such as stroke or heart attack. The condition occurs when the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries increases. A factor that causes this force to increase is the narrowing of the artery walls with cholesterol. Checking your blood pressure is quick and painless, and the condition can be easily treated.
Gotu Kola & Hypertension
The website for the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, lists common medicinal uses for gotu kola as treatments for varicose veins, wound healing and skin lesions, anxiety, scleroderma and insomnia. Drugs.com adds that gotu kola is also used to treat chemotherapy and radiation-induced toxicity, infection, psoriasis, venous insufficiency and to lower cholesterol. The site also provides much detail to support the use of gotu kola to treat hypertension. Descriptions of several placebo-controlled clinical studies seem to show results supporting the effectiveness of gotu kola in lowering blood pressure.
Possible Side Effects
According to the UMMC website, gotu kola is considered generally safe for use in normal doses. Large doses may be toxic, so follow directions from your health care provider. Some people have reported stomach upset, headaches, nausea, dizziness and extreme drowsiness after taking gotu kola. The site also warns of the possibility of allergic skin reactions to the herb.
Potential Interactions
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website cautions that people taking cholesterol-lowering medications, diuretics, medications for diabetes, sedatives, drugs for epilepsy, erectile dysfunction drugs or ulcer medications should avoid taking gotu kola due to the possibility of harmful interactions. If you have questions about whether any of the medications or supplements you take could harmfully interact with gotu kola, talk to your pharmacist or health care provider.
Forms Used
Gotu kola is available in capsule, tincture, dried herb, tablet and ointment forms, says the UMMC site. The herb should be stored in a cool, dry place and used before the package expiration date.
