Coleus forskohlii is a plant native to subtropical and warm temperate habitats and a member of the mint family. The plant has been used since ancient times as a medicinal herb in India, which is also believed to be the place of its origin.
Coleus forskohlii is considered to be the wild ancestor of all the tuber varieties, known as Kaffir Potatoes. It has several ethnomedicinal uses, which have been transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation. Interestingly, the roots of the plant have a long history of food use in India in the form of pickle/condiment. According to Ayurveda, it is been used to ease pain, support healthy inflammation response, haemorrhoids, to help manage cough, worms, skin-related problems, ascites (fluid retention), external ulcers, abdominal pain, low appetite, urine retention and constipation.
The herb has received a lot of attention over the past 40 years from medical researchers, as it is the only known plant source of forskolin, a bioactive compound with diverse pharmacological benefits.
The Sami-Sabinsa group pioneered the natural extracts of Coleus forskohlii, for use in nutritional and cosmetic applications, in the early 1990s. And the outcome was ForsLean®, an award winning natural ingredient, forskolin-enriched extracts from the roots.