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The only confirmed side effect in humans is skin rash in sensitive individuals.
The chemical asiaticoside that helps against leprosy also appears to be weakly carcinogenic. A concentrated solution of the isolated chemical was applied to the skin of mice twice a week for 18 months (a long time in mouse terms), and 2.5 percent developed skin tumors. The risk to humans, if any, from occasional use of weaker, smaller doses of the whole herb remains unclear but appears minimal. Nonetheless, those with a history of cancer might reasonably decide not to use it. When in doubt, consult your physician.
Other Cautions
The Food and Drug Administration considers gotu kola an herb of “undefined safety.” For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who have no history of cancer and are not taking other tranquilizers or sedatives, gotu kola is considered relatively safe in amounts typically recommended.
Gotu kola should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with a physician. If gotu kola causes minor discomforts, such as a rash or headache, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
The Un-Kola
Gotu kola is not cultivated in North America, though several related species grow wild.
As a member of the Umbelliferae family, gotu kola is related to carrot, parsley, dill, and fennel, but it has neither the characteristic feathery leaves nor the umbrella arrangement (umbel) of tiny flowers. Instead, gotu kola’s creeping stem grows in marshy areas and produces fan-shaped leaves about the size of an old British penny-hence its names Indian pennywort, marsh penny, and water pennywort. A cup-like clutch of inconspicuous flowers develops near the ground.