CENTELLA ASIATICA

By: K.S.Chetana

INTRODUCTION

Centella asiatica, commonly known as centella and Gotu kola, is a small, herbaceous, frost-tender perennial plant of the family Apiaceae, and is native to wetlands in Asia. It is used as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedicmedicine, traditional African and Chinese medicine. It is also known as the Asiatic pennywort or Indian pennywort in English, among various other names in other languages. As mentioned in ayurvedic pharmacopeia of India the dried plant is used in raktapitta,kushta,aruchi,meha,jvara,svasa,sotha and raktadosha. It is among the top 10 herbs in the category of anti-ageing and CNS drugs used worldwide. This is the incredible small, but powerful herb which has high medicinal value which makes it socially desirable.

Region/language Vernacular name

Hindi Brahma-manduki,

Mandookaparni,Khulakhudi,Brahmibhooti

Malayalam Kodangal, kodagam, Kutakm

Telegu Bokkudu,Saraswataku

Sanskrit Bhekaparni,Brahmananduki,

Marathi karinga,karivana

Kannada Ondelaga,Brahmi-soppu

Bihar Chokiora

Gujarati Barmi, Moti Brahmi

Tamil Babassa,Vallarai

Bengali Thankuni,Tholkuri

Assamese manimuni

Vernacular nameVernacular names

Foreign names for Centella asiatica

Language/place Name

English Indian Pennywort, Thick-leaved Pennywort,

Marsh Pennywort.

Chinese Fo-te-tieng, Chi-hsueuh-ts ao

Hawaii Pohe Kula

Fiji Totodro

Nepalese Ghod tapre

Samoa Tono

Cook islands Kapukapu

HISTORY

History of man disease confrontation is as old as human civilisation, Centella asiatica also known as Gotu kola has been used by man to combat various diseases.

Over the centuries ayurveda has developed into a time tested science of life. C.asiatica enjoys the status of medhya rasayana in ayurveda.

Since ancient times C.asiatica has been used in traditional Indian medicine for various pathological disorders and particular for healing wounds and for leprosy.

In Ayurvedic system of medicine it is also recommended in chronic diseases and as brain tonic in various mental disorders.

In Eastern Europe it was sold as a laxative and vomitiveremedy (due to its pungent taste). In 1884 it was incorporated in the French pharmacopoeia.

TAXONOMY

Botanical Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division : Angiospermae

Class : Magnoliopsida

Order : Apiales

Family : Apiaceae

Genus : Centella

Species : asiatica

Morphology

Centella is a slender, creeping plant that grows commonly in swampy

areas. The stems are slender, creeping stolons, green to reddish-green

in color, connecting plants to each other.

Plant attains height up to 15cm (6 inches).

It has long-stalked, green, rounded apices which have smooth texture

with palmately netted veins.

The rootstock consists of rhizomes, growing vertically down. They are

creamish in color and covered with root hairs.

The flowers are white or pinkish to red in color, born in small, rounded

bunches (umbels). Each flower is partly enclosed in two green bracts.

The hermaphrodite flowers are minute in size (less than 3 mm), with 5-

6 corolla lobes per flower.

Its fan shaped leaves are about the size of a pre-decimal-currency penny - hence its common names Indian pennywort, marsh penny and water pennywort

Centella is is called gotu kola. gotu is translated as "conical shape" and kola as "leaf".

The fruit are densely reticulate, The crop matures in three months, and the whole plant, including the roots, is harvested manually.

It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September.

bear fruit that is oval shaped or flat from 2 to 2.5 mm in length.

Centella asiatica

MORPHOLOGY

C.asitica Flower

Geography and Distribution

Centella is indigenous to tropical and

subtropical regions of the world. It is found in Africa , Australia ,

Combodia , Madagascar ,Thailand , South africa, Vietnam, South

East USA , Mexico, Venezuela, Columbia In India it is commonly

found in moist areas and in crop fields found throughout tropical

and sub tropical regions of India.

PROPAGATION & CULTIVATION

PROPAGATION AND CULTIVATION

The C.asiatica plants are generally collected from the wild as well as in small scale cultivation.

The plants grows very well in areas with high moisture and humus rich soil as well as in sandy and clayey soils.

It grows in lowland up to an ultitude of 600m.

Cultivation of C.asiatica is easy by way of vegetative propagation using the stolon,seed and roots, ready for harvesting in 3-6 months.

The plantation C.asiatica crried out in the open farming or under the shade as well as by integrating with other commercial crops such as rubber, oil plam and coconut. This commercial crop provoids favourable condition to centella growth as it protects plant from direct sun light, retain moisture and maintain artificial forest environment.

Propagation of centella using the seed is non longer an economically visible proposition. Due to the increased demand, source of centella from natural habitat and Large-scale propagation by micro propagation tissue culture approach is the choice to meet the demand of industry without sacrificing the efficacy and the quality of the plants.

PHYTOCHEMISTRY Major bio-active constituents are pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins.

The main saponines are Asiaticoside and Madecasoside.

Other minor saponines are centelloside, bramoside, braminoside and centellosaponines B, C and D.

Other constituents:

It also contains abundant tannins (20-25%),

essential oil (0.1%, with beta-caryophyllene, trans-beta-farnesene and germacrene D),

phytosterols (campesterol, sitosterol, stigmasterol), mucilages, resine,

free aminoacids (alanine, serine, aminobutyrate, aspartate, glutamate, lysine and threonine),

flavonoids ,alkaloids (hydrocotyline), a bitter component Vallerine,

fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic, oleic, palmitic and stearic).

COMMON USAGE:Food and beverage

In malaysia & indonesia centella is commonly eaten

fresh as vegetble.the salads are eaten together with the

main meal and can act as a appetizer. It is used as

health tonic and processed into ready to drink juice.

It is also common drink used by the Thai and chainese

people for thirst quenching purpose or cooling drink.

In Srilanka it is used in their traditional curry called

mullung.(a traditional accompaniment to rice and curry)

In india,it is one of the constituents of the indian summer

drinks thandaayye and very imporatant for brain tonic.

Also used in making herbal tea.

It is commom practice to process Centella into many

products.

In Vietnam and Thailand, this leaf is used for preparing a drink or can be eaten in raw form in salads or cold rolls.

It is known as vallarai in Tamil. Vallarai Kootu is a dish made out of centella and Dal.

chutney and tambuli are dishes made out of centella in the Southern part of India.

How to Use It

As a tea:

Steep one teaspoon of dried gotu kola leaves in a cup

of boiling water and sweeten with honey as desired.

Sipping a cup of gotu kola tea before bed will help

induce a deep, restful sleep. Its also useful in relieving

headaches and indigestion.

As an oil :

Boil cup dried gotu kola leaves in two cups of water until

the volume is reduced by half. Remove the leaves and add

one cup of almond or sesame oil, then let the mixture

simmer until all the water evaporates and you are left with

the herbalized oil. This is also a wonderful oil to use for your

daily self massage.

As a balm :

Combine cup dried gotu kola leaves with cup dried

chamomile leaves and steep in a cup of boiling water for

ten minutes. Strain and blend the remaining mixture with

cornstarch to make a thick paste. Apply to skin and once it

has dried, rinse with room-temperature water.

Ondelaga/Brahmi Tambuli/tambli:

is one of the authentic dish of Southern part of India(costal region). This goes best with rice(It has cooling effect,vata hara,improves memory power,good nerve tonic).

Grated coconut:1/2 cupButter milk:3 cupsSalt:to tasteGhee;1 tspMustard seeds:1 tspRed chilly:1/2How to prepare Ondelaga tambuli

Collect fresh leaves preferably early morning because the leaves contains volatile acids,wash and clean them.

Grind the leaves,pepper, coconut in to smooth paste by adding sufficient water.Transfer the content in to serving bowl.

Add buttermilk and salt Mix well.

Tempering can be done with mustard seeds and chilly by using ghee.

This tambuli is not recommended at night.

Recipe

Ethnobotanical uses:

It is used as a whole plant or aerial parts. the drug is used internally as well as externally.

There is a saying that 3 leaves of gotu kola per day keeps old age away .

As a paste it is applied on boils.

Leaf juice is rubbed on fore head to treat leprosy and other skin disorders it is used as ointment or dusting powder. Mixed with bath water. It is used in eczema.

Internally It is used as tonic, to treat bronchitis, asthama, gastric catarrh, kidney trroubles.

Mixer of leaf syrup with ginger and black pepper treats cough.

Leaf juice when mixed with palm jaggery is used as tonic for women, postpartum.

Dosage

0.5g of the powdered drug is given orally three

times daily for the treatment of leprosy.

In liver diseases 90-150mg of standardized extract

may be given each day.

For external treatment of skin diseases C.asiatica

can be applied as a salve with 0.5% asiaticoside,

or as a powder with 2% asiaticoside, once or twice

daily.

The WHO mentions an oral dose of 0.33- 0.68g or

by an oral infusion of a similar amount three times

daily.

PHARMACOLOGY

mild adaptogen

antibacterial

anti-viral

anti-inflammatory

anti-ulcerogenic

a cerebral tonic

a circulatory stimulant

nervine

It restores worn out bodies and prevents nervous

breakdown, mental and physical fatigue. Improves

your memory and relieves pain related to arthritis.

The essential oil of centella could provide an

alternative source of synthetic antioxidant

(BHA).Gotu Kola balances hormones.

It oxygenates the cells and regulates blood

pressure.

Gotu kola is most often used to treat psoriasis and

helps to heal minor wounds, because of

its triterpenoids contents.

Studies have also shown positive effects on

anxiety and scleroderma.

Leaf extract is used in medicated oils for bone

fracture.

In brazil the leaves are used to treat obesity.

GABA-mimetic: Some studies suggest that the

extract of Centella asiatica increases the

concentration of GABA levels in the brain;

therefore, it exerts a protecting effect against

stress.

Safety Centella has been widely used in pharmaceutical industries and

has shown good efficacy, performance and safety. with very low toxicity as attested by its long popular use as a natural product.

There no known side effects associated with centella within the recommended dosage.

In oral application, asiaticoside 1g/kg body weight has no proven toxic and good tolerance has been demonstrated by patients to centella extracts or asiaticoside.

SIDE EFFECTS

Women who are pregnant or breast feeding should not

use this herb

It is not used in patients allergic to Apiaceae family.

Despite this collectors from non forest areas report scarcity of the plant growing naturally in the wetland. It has been listed as a threatened plant species by (IUCN).

This has resulted in controversial substitution with other plants.It is adulterated with Bocaopa monnieri(neerbrahmi) and other plants with orbicular leaves merremiaemerginata, hydrocotyle javanica ,Hydrocotylerofundifolia.

Recently large scale adulteration with Malva rofundifoliahas been observed.

C.asiatica and bocopa moneri often get substituted for each other in market as both are commonly sold under the same vernacular name Brahhmi.

General information about Centella:

Bacopa monnieri Centella asiatica

But in ayurvedic texts related literature the brahmi refers to bocopa moneri and C.asitica has been referred to as mandukaparni.comparitive anatomical features can differentiate the two species.

Chemically both species are riech in saponins. Madecassoside and asiaticoside are the important triterpenoid saponins of cntella asiatica whereas B.monnieri

contains Bacosides A ans B. Centella based products are available in many forms such as

powder, infusion,soluble and extract of fresh and dried plants.

Another study reported that the fresh juice is better than the processed juice as it contains higher total concentration of volatile compounds and more volatile components.

Trade prospects

Mandukapani has been reported to be one among the

best selling herbal drugs in Europe and USA,exported

from India.

C.asiatica is used for preparing over counter products,

available in the market as a memory booster and

nervine tonic.

Two varities namely Kayakriti and Majja poshak are

registered for commercial cultivation by

(CIMAP),Luknow.

The everage collection charges are Rs 10. An everage

selling price by wholesalers in coimbatore is 50-65

Rs/kg. Thus has a large profit margin.

Some Products launched in the market, containing Centella asiatica

Name of the product company applications

The

Himalaya

Drug

Company,

Bangalore

[India]

Improves mental abilities,

vascular support, blood

circulation and psoriasis.

The

Himalaya

Drug

Company

Improves mental functions by a

modulation GABA

neurotransmission. It

improves mental quotient,

memory span,

concentration ability and stress

threshold, beneficial in

insomnia and corrects speech

defects. It exhibits

significant anti-parkinsonian

activity.

CENTELLA EXPERT FIRMING

BALM

YVES

Rocher

A targeted treatment

for women who want a

truly firm body. ideal

for skin that lacks

tone.

Brahmi Pearls Kerala

Ayurveda

Limited

(ideal Herbal

combination

of Brain-

nourishing

ingredients

like Bacopa,

Acorus etc.)

Act as a Memory

Toner, Improve

Intellect,

Relieve Mental

Stress,

Improve Learning

Process,

Provide Sound

Sleep.

Memovit Plus Brahmi Granules Sri Jain

Ayurvedic

Pharmacy

Nervine tonic, Helps

increase concentration,

grasping power,

retention and memory

Improves memory in

children, increases blood

proteins,

It Sharpens memory

Power & corrects

nervous debility.

Shri Ramtirth

Yogashram

beneficial for hair

complaints, promotes

the growth of long and

lustrous hair. It helps

in curing dandruff,

burning of eyes, brain

and sound sleep.

SNP Control Cream SD Biotechnologies

co.,Ltd. [Korea]

Centella asiatica

extract and Allantoin,

improves

drying and delays skin

aging

Mandarin O2

Foaming Cleanser

H & H Co., Ltd.

[Korea]

Centella asiatica extract

and Rosemary extract

help

your skin clean and

healthy.

PATENTS

Sing-Verma has patented cosmetic formulation containing extracts from Centella asiatica.

Se- Kyung Oh et al claim that pure Asiatic acid shows dose dependant cytoxicity on human fibroblast cells in culture.

Soumyanath et al have patented methods for development of C.asiatica extracts containing asiatic acid, madecassic acid and Asiaticoside.

Loiseau et al have patented method of preparation of C.asiatica extract rich in madecassoside.

Tomer et al patented herbal compositions and their use as anti-inflammatory agents.