GOTU KOLA
Source:Centella asiatica(L.) Urban (syn.
Hydrocotyle asiaticaL. andCentella cor-
iacea Nannfd.) (Family Umbelliferae or
Apiaceae).
Common/vernacular names: Indian penny-
wort.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Slender herbaceous creeping weakly aromatic
prostrate perennial; stems long, prostrate, fili-
form, often orange with long internodes, root-
ing at nodes; leaves orbicular, reniform up to
4 cm in diameter; petiole 5–10 cm long; flow-
ers in fascicled umbel, growing near water or
marshy places, moist rocky outcrops to 700 m,
in India, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, western
South Sea Islands, Australia, Madagascar,
southern Africa, Hawaii, and so on.^1 Parts
used are the fresh or dried leaves, above-
ground herb, or whole herb with root.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Leaves contain triterpenoid saponins at highly
variable levels (1.1–8.0%), including asiatico-
side, oxyasiaticoside, and madecassoside
(Madagascar chemotype), centelloside and
centellasaponins (Sri Lanka chemotype),
brahmoside, brahminoside, thankunoside,
isothankunoside (India chemotype); sapogen-
ins from various chemotypes including asiat-
ic, madecassic, centellic, indocentoic, brah-
mic, thankunic, and iosthankunic acids.1–4
Volatile oil withtrans-b-farnesene, germa-
crene D,b-caryophyllene, camphor, cineole,
n-dodecane, p-cymol, a-pinene, methanol,
allyl mustard, and an unidentified terpene
acetate (36% of oil content).^1
Other components include rhamnose,
arabinose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, and raf-
finose; a pectin composed of the aforemen-
tioned sugars; an oligosaccharide, centellose;
a fatty oil containing glycerides of oleic,
linoleic, lignoceric, palmitic, stearic, linole-
nic, and elaidic acids; steroids, includingb-si-
tosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, and sitos-
terol; amino acids, including glutamic acid,
serine, and alanine; flavonols, including
kaempferol, quercetin, 3-glycosylkaempferol,
and 3-glycosylquercetin; polyphenols, tan-
nins, carotenoids, villarin, and ascorbic acid
(13.8 mg/100 dry weight).1,5,6PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIESTopically, asiaticoside or leaf extracts stan-
dardized to asiaticoside have been shown to
accelerate the wound-healing process and sig-
nificantly improved tensile strength of tissues,
promoting keratization and stimulating rapid
andhealthygrowthofthereticuloendothelium.
It is suggested that inhibition of the biosynthe-
sis of collagen and acidic mucopolysacchar-
ides is involved in the mechanism of action.^1
A leaf extract (standardized to asiaticoside)
was evaluated in clinical patients with soiled
wounds and chronic atony, resistant to treat-
ment; results showed complete healing in 64%
and improvement in 16% of 20 patients.^7
Cellular proliferation, collagen formation,
epithelization,andwoundhealingwerefurther
demonstratedinanumberofinvitroandinvivo
experiments and in an antipsoriasis model
utilizing asiaticoside-rich preparations.8–13
The healing effect ofC. asiaticawas also
demonstratedinanumberofstudiesoninduced
gastric ulcers whereby the extract and asiatico-
side enhanced ulcer healing in all experiments.
The healing effect was mediated through sup-
pression of iNOS, free radical scavenging, and
strengthening of the mucosal barrier.14–17
Based on traditional use in India claiming
the herb improves intelligence, various studies
(both animal and human) have suggested the
herb to be beneficial in improving memory,
adaptogenic in fatigue and stress, tranquiliz-
ing in rats (alcoholic extract), to increase
general mental ability, behavioral patterns,
and to increase I.Q. in mentally retarded chil-
dren. A two-compartment passive avoidance
task test (with rats) showed an improvement inGotu kola 339