Gotu kola is a common name for the plant species Centella asiatica, which has a history of use in both Chinese and Ayurvedic health practices. Some research indicates that a compound in gotu kola may help reduce tumor size in several forms of cancer. However, no clear scientific findings support use of this herb to treat cancer.
Gotu Kola Basics
Gotu kola preparations come in forms that include powdered and dried herbs, tablets, capsules, ointments, standardized extracts and tinctures. These preparations contain a wide variety of substances, including amino acids, fatty acids and classes of chemicals such as terpenoids, flavones, volatile oils, alkaloids and sesquiterpines. The main biological activity in gotu kola appears to come from terpenoids, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer reports. One particular group of terpenoids, called triterpenes, includes a substance called asiatic acid. It is this acid that appears to show some effectiveness in reducing the size of cancerous tumors.
Cancer Cell Death
According to a 2006 study published in "Cell Biology and Toxicology," asiatic acid can force cancerous cells to undergo a process called apoptosis. Cells undergoing apoptosis receive chemical signals that tell them they have reached the end of their life cycles. In response to these signals, the cells' DNA splits apart and the cells themselves die. Asiatic acid also appears to force cancerous cells to undergo another form of cell death called necrosis, which occurs when certain enzymes degrade a cell's structural integrity. Cancers that may potentially respond to the influence of asiatic acid include breast, colon and liver cancer, as well as a form of skin cancer called melanoma and a form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.
Lack of Evidence
Despite asiatic acid's reported effects on tumor size, the American Cancer Society notes that scientific evidence does not support the usefulness of gotu kola as a whole in cancer treatment. Reasons for this position include the lack of sufficient trials in humans, the small number of people involved in existing trials and problems with the design of studies that have examined gotu kola. In addition, commonly available forms of the herb may produce different results than preparations available to scientists. For instance, in a laboratory setting, fresh gotu kola juice produces fewer tumor-reducing effects than purified materials taken from the plant.
Warning
In addition to its other constituent parts, gotu kola contains a terpenoid compound called asiaticoside. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, asiaticoside seems to play a role in triggering tumor growth in mice when tested in a laboratory setting. For this reason, the UMMC advises that you avoid the use of gotu kola if you have a history of any of several cancerous or precancerous lesions, including melanoma, basal cell skin cancer and squamous cell cancers. Talk to your doctor before you consider taking gotu kola for the treatment of cancer or any other disease.
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