| Perennial, creeping, ground cover, which roots at the nodes, as it spreads over the ground. Leaves, from 2-4cm wide, and kidney-shaped, with a v-shaped slot, where the leaf joins the stem: often with serrated margins, which gives them the appearance of miniature fans. Gotu kola has been known for centuries, valued for treating leprosy and tuberculosis; relieving the pain of rheumatism and arthritis; to increase brain capacity; and for longevity, often being called, the elixir of life. A legendary saying, in reference to gotu kola was: '2 leaves a day, keeps old age away'. In Sinhalese culture, they valued the herb to strengthen and revitalize worn out bodies and brains; eating 2-3 leaves a day to bring about a gradual return to health and strength, provided that the body is exposed to the sun, for a time, each day. In Ancient China, the herb was a principal ingredient in an elixir called 'fo ti tieng', a mixture that was called the fountain of youth. Many herbalists have called gotu kola: the finest of all herb tonics. It appears, they say, to have no equal in the treatment of general debility and decline. Digestion is strengthened (no doubt aided by the bitter properties) and food better utilized, with the process of overall metabolism, increased. Gotu kola has been called 'a pharmacy in one herb', offering impressive benefits. In India, gotu kola is a traditional remedy for skin conditions, wounds and bruises. With controlled tests, in which an extract of gotu kola was applied, to 20 people, suffering with slow healing wounds: 64% of the wounds healed completely and 16% improved considerably. |
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