Clinical and therapeutic benefits of Centella asiatica

Abstract

Centella asiatica belongs to family Apiaceae is a traditionally important plant with wide range of therapeutic potential. Plant is traditionally used to treat a broad range of diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis, measles, toothache, syphilis, leucorrhoea etc. Madecassic acid, asiatic acid, α-terpinene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene are some of the important bioactive compounds responsible for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antifilarial, antiviral and various other activities. Present review provides up to date information related to conventional uses, bioactivities and clinical benefits of Centella asiatica.

Headnote

Abstract

Centella asiatica belongs to family Apiaceae is a traditionally important plant with wide range of therapeutic potential. Plant is traditionally used to treat a broad range of diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis, measles, toothache, syphilis, leucorrhoea etc. Madecassic acid, asiatic acid, α-terpinene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene are some of the important bioactive compounds responsible for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antifilarial, antiviral and various other activities. Present review provides up to date information related to conventional uses, bioactivities and clinical benefits of Centella asiatica.

Key words: Centella asiatica, chemical constituents, ethnomedicinal uses, clinical uses.

1. Introduction

Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban Sys. Synonym Hydrocotyle asiatica Linn., belongs to the plant family apiaceae (umbelliferae) is an important plant with wide range of traditional, medicinal and therapeutic values. This herb is found almost all over the world and is utilized as a source of food, beverages, medicine. This is a key element of numerous compound formulations used for curing gastrointestinal disorders, cutaneous problems and for revitalizing brain cells. In According to an estimate C. asiaticais an important plant in the International market of medicinal Plant Trade and because of its overexploitation this species has been depleted. Plant is listed as a threatened plant species by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) [1].

2. Morphology Characteristics

C. asiatica (L.) is astoloniferous, perennial, prostrate herb which attain an height of up to 15cm (6 inches). Stem is glabrous; leaves are orbicular-renniform, 1.5-5cm wide and 2-6cm long, 1-3 from each node of stems, sheathing leaf base, crenate margins, glabrous on both sides; Flowers are fascicled umbels, each umbel consisting of 3-4 white to purple flowers; fruits are oblong and globular in shape, borne right through the growing season in approx 2 inches long. Seeds have pedulous embryo, has characteristic odor, and bittersweet taste. C. asiatica flourishes extensively in damp and marshy places making a dense green carpet, for its regeneration sandy loam (60% sand) is found to be the most fertile soil [2].

3. Distribution

C. asiatica is indigenous to warmer regions of both the hemispheres including India, Sri Lanka, South-East Asia, parts of China, Western South Sea Islands, Mexico, South East USA, South Africa, Columbia, Eastern South America, Venezuela and Madagascar [4].

4. Chemical Constituents

The major bioactive compounds in the plant are the madecassic acid, asiatic acid, triterpenes and their derivatives such as madecassoside, asiaticoside and triterpene ester glycosides [5]. Compounds such as α-terpinene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, bornyl acetate, β-elemene, β-pinene, germacrene-D, bicycloelemene and trans-β-farnesene have been isolated through GC-MS analysis [6]. Numerous polyacetylenic compounds were isolated from underground parts of C. asiatica among them8-acetoxyfalcarinol is the chief compound. The roots of C. asiatica are rich in amino acids, specially glutamic, serine, alanine, threonine, aspartic, histidine and lysine. It is also affluent in vitamin A (retinol), vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin B5 (niacin) and carotene [7].

5. Traditional Uses

5.1 Food and beverages

C. asiatica is commonly eaten as fresh vegetable in Indonesia and Malaysia [8]. It is used in preparation of soup or as a main vegetable. Due to slight bitterness it is cooked along with coconut, sweet potatoes and potatoes [9].

In various region of the world C. asiatica is used as health tonic [10]. From fresh plant drink and juice is prepared [11]. It is commonly used by Chinese and Thai people as a cooling drink and for thirst quenching purpose [12]. In India it is a constituent of a drink called "thandaayyee". In Sri Lanka leaves of C. asiatica are used for preparation of a porridge called "kola kenda" and a curry called "mallung" [13].

5.2 Ethnomedicinal uses

C. asiatica is an ethnomedicinally important plant, used all over the world for the treatment of cholera, jaundice, diarrhea, hepatitis, syphilis, measles, toothache, leukorrhoea, smallpox, haematemesis, toothache, asthma, urethritis, renal stones, rheumatism, varices, neuralgia, anorexia, leprosy and skin diseases as an analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory.

6. Bioactivities

6.1 Antioxidant activity

According to Zainol et al., [20] the leaves of C. asiatica showed highest antioxidant activity they also found that leaves contain highest phenolic content as compare to other parts of C. asiatica which propose that phenolic compounds are the chief contributors to the antioxidative activities. Leaves are reported to have high antioxidant potential in three different pathways include inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation (98.2%), superoxide free radical scavenging activity (86.4%) and radical scavenging activity, DPPH (92.7%) [21].

Conversely, Abdul-Hamid et al., [14] stated that ethanol extract of C. asiatica root demonstrated the maximum activity although it was not considerably dissimilar from the leaves.

Another study proved that C. asiatica has strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity based on ascorbic acid and gallic acid equivalent amongst the eleven edible green leafy vegetables [22]. In another study conducted on 20 traditional leafy vegetables cultivated in South Africa C. asiatica is proved to have highest antioxidant activity [23]. Higher antioxidant activity of C. asiatica was also observed by Akula and Odhav [24], Pittella et al., [25] and Nanasombat and Teckchuen [26].

6.2 Antibacterial activity

Through viable cell count method Mamtha et al., [27] observed that the alcoholic extract of plant showed bactericidal action within 2 hours against Shigella species, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholera. In another study the carbon tetrachloride, n-hexane, chloroform soluble fractions of methanol extract from C. asiatica showed antibacterial activity against 8 gram negative bacteria i.e. Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigellaboydii, Vibrio mimicus and Vibrio parahemolyticus and 5 gram negative strains of bacteria i.e. Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Sarcinalutea [28]. Diethyl ether, hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of C. asiatica showed inhibition of K. aerogenes, P. vulgaris, B. subtilis and S. aureus species. But no activity was observed against Pseudomonas aerogenes and Escherichia coli [29].

In another study conducted against 10 isolates of pathogenic fish bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli, Edwardsiella tarda, Staphylococcus aureus Citrobacter freundii, Streptococcus agalatiae, Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio alginolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus and Streptococcus aginosus, C. asiatica did not show any inhibition of these tested strains [29].

6.3 Antifungal activity

Petroleum ether and Ethanolic extracts of C. asiatica showed considerable activity against different strains of fungi like Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger [30, 49]. In another study the Chloroform, Hexane, carbon tetrachloride and aqueous soluble fractions of methanolic showed inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans [28].

Using agar well diffusion method Bobbarala et al., [31] observed the antifungal potential of 49 plant species against Aspergillus niger and proved that the methanolic extracts of 43 plants including C. asiatica demonstrated varying degrees of inhibition activity.

6.4 Antiviral activity

A study conducted on proved that the crude aqueous extract of Mangifera indica and C. asiatica confirm anti-herpes simplex virus activities [32].

6.5 Antifilarial activity

Sarkar et al., [33] conducted an investigation on dogs infected with Dirofilaria immitis and reported that the mixture of Acacia auriculiformis and C. asiatica extracts showed considerable reduction in filarial counts.

6.6 Antitumour activity

With no toxic effects on lymphocytes the methanol extract of C. asiatica is proved to inhibit the growth of tumor cells and its aqueous extract has a chemo protective effect on colon tumorigenesis [34]. Due to stimulative effect on collagen synthesis asiatic acid isolated from C. asiatica possesses good wound healing activities. It could be valuable in cancer chemotherapy as it stimulate apoptosis and boost antitumor activity of vincristine [4].

7. Pharmacological Uses

7.1 Antiulcer activity

Results of the studies conducted by Chatterjee et al.,[35] showed that the fresh juice of C. asiatica significantly protects the experimental ulcer models and this effect is might be due to intensification of the mucosal defensive factors. After daily oral intake of fresh juice of C. asiatica at the dose level of 60 mg/kg a diminutive clinical test concerning fifteen patients confirmed its antiulcer activity. Around 93% of the patients displayed a clear-cut improvement in subjective symptoms and among them 73% of the ulcers are reported to be healed as measured by radiological and endoscopic observations [36].

Asiatic side isolated from C. asiatica is reported to reduce the formation of stress induced ulcers when administered orally to rats. Plant extract considerably inhibit gastric ulceration caused by cold and restraint stress in Charles-Foster rats [35].

7.2 Antidiabetic activity

In glucose tolerance test carried out in the alloxan induced diabetic rats the methanolic and Ethanolic extracts of C. asiatica had revealed considerable protection and reduce the blood glucose levels to normal [37]. In another study C. asiatica showed faster healing of wounds indiabetic induced Male Spraque-Dawley rats faster than the control [38].

7.3 Cardioprotective activity

Through Adriamycin stimulated cardiac damage in rats C. asiatica showed effective cardioprotective activity on antioxidant [39]. In another study on ischemia-reperfusion induced myocardial infarction in rats' C. asiatica showed a significant cardioprotective activity [40].

7.4 Radioprotective activity

Sharma et al., [41] conducted a survey on and revealed that C. asiatica could be used in clinical radiotherapy because it is useful in preventing radiation stimulated behavioral changes. The extract has radio protective properties and when tested on mouse liver, pretreatment with it prior to gamma ray irradiation was effective against radiation induced damage.

7.7 Antimutagenic effects

Through cytogenetic assay aqueous extracts of C. asiatica was studied for in vivo detection of micronuclei in bone marrow cells and chromosomal aberration of mice. On the genetic damage induced by chromium (potassium dichromate) and cyclophosphamide the modulating effects were investigated and it was proved that the C. asiatica has a fair antimutagenic nature [42].

7.8 Skin protective activity

Skin aging become visible due to decrease in the levels of type I collagen, Asiaticoside isolated from C. asiatica showed synthesis of type I collagen in human dermal fibroblast cells [43].

7.9 Sliming effect

C. asiatica Extract showed amazing amplification in the cyclic adenosine mono phosphate content in human adipocytes with a successive increase in non-esterified fatty acids content [44].

7.10 Immuno-modulating effects of C. asiatica

Methanolic extract of C. asiatica is reported to have immuno-stimulating potential and demonstrate preliminary immunomodulatory effects [45]. In an experiment conducted on chronic renal failure rats and it was proved that C. asiatica injections in these rats has considerable healing results [46].

7.11 Memory enhancing

Aqueous extract of C. asiatica is proved to have significant effects on memory and learning. It also decreases dopamine, norepinephrine5-HT and their metabolites in the brain. Brahmic acid, brahminoside, isobrahmic acid and brahmoside isolated from the plant are responsible for its sedative, anti convulsant and psychotropic properties and are useful in anxiety and mental disorders. Mentat an herbal formulation containing C. asiatica improve memory and concentration in children [47].

7.12 Commercial Products

Various products containing C. asiatica are launched in international market such as creams, baby lotions, slimming tea, tonics etc. due to its immense clinical and therapeutic benefit. Some of the products and their applications are shown in Table 5.

7.12 Precautions and safety

In recommended doses no toxic effect of C. asiatica is observed yet. Side effects are exceptional however at very high dose of herb possible side effects will include burning sensations (with external use), skin allergy, nausea, headache, dizziness, stomach upset, and extreme drowsiness. The fresh plant may have a low potential for skin irritation. Subcutaneous injections may result in cause pain at the injection site, discoloration and can also cause allergic reactions. It is also reported that by causing spontaneous abortion chronic treatment may prevent women from becoming pregnant [48].

8. Conclusion

A critical investigation of literature for this review exposed that Centella asiatica is a valuable plant traditionally utilized to treat wide range of diseases and proved to having immense medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Phytochemicals such as asciatic acid, Madecassic acid, Madasiatic acid, Betulinic acid and Thankunic acid isolated from this plant are utilized in various commercial products such as skin care, anti-aging, slimming teas etc. However, further studies should be conducted in order to explore unexploited potential of this plant.

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Citation

Kulsoom Zahara, Yamin Bibi and Shaista Tabassum. Clinical and therapeutic benefits of Centella asiatica.Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 3, Issue 4, 2014, pp 152-159

References

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