When applied twice daily for 28 days on the thigh, gotu kola (combined with caffeine, aminophylline, yohimbe, and L-carnitine) showed modest improvements over placebo: thigh circumference reduced by 1.2 cm versus 0.8 cm, and fat mass loss was about 100g versus 57g. However, this was only meaningful when paired with calorie restriction and 150 minutes of weekly walking—the topical lotion alone didn't do the work.

Seven women applied the gotu kola lotion to one leg and placebo to the other for 28 days while following a low-calorie diet and walking program. Researchers measured thigh circumference, fat thickness, and body composition before and after using dual-energy X-ray imaging.

Funding not disclosed in abstract