Pure Appl. Bio., 3(4): 152-159, December- 2014 Review Article Clinical and therapeutic benefits of Centella asiatica Kulsoom Zahara*, Yamin Bibi and Shaista Tabassum Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] 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 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 flourishes extensively in damp and marshy places Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban Sys. Synonym making a dense green carpet, for its regeneration Hydrocotyle asiatica Linn., belongs to the plant sandy loam (60% sand) is found to be the most fertile family apiaceae (umbelliferae) is an important plant soil [2]. with wide range of traditional, medicinal and 3. Distribution therapeutic values. This herb is found almost all over C. asiatica is indigenous to warmer regions of both the world and is utilized as a source of food, the hemispheres including India, Sri Lanka, South- beverages, medicine. This is a key element of East Asia, parts of China, Western South Sea Islands, numerous compound formulations used for curing Mexico, South East USA, South Africa, Columbia, gastrointestinal disorders, cutaneous problems and Eastern South America, Venezuela and Madagascar for revitalizing brain cells. In According to an [4]. estimate C. asiaticais an important plant in the 4. Chemical Constituents International market of medicinal Plant Trade and The major bioactive compounds in the plant are the because of its overexploitation this species has been madecassic acid, asiatic acid, triterpenes and their depleted. Plant is listed as a threatened plant species derivatives such as madecassoside, asiaticoside and by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of triterpene ester glycosides [5]. Compounds such as α- Nature and Natural Resources) [1]. terpinene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, bornyl 2. Morphology Characteristics acetate, β-elemene, β-pinene, germacrene-D, C. asiatica (L.) is astoloniferous, perennial, prostrate bicycloelemene and trans-β-farnesene have been herb which attain an height of up to 15cm (6 inches). isolated through GC-MS analysis [6]. Numerous Stem is glabrous; leaves are orbicular-renniform, polyacetylenic compounds were isolated from 1.5-5cm wide and 2- 6cm long, 1-3 from each node underground parts of C. asiatica among them8- of stems, sheathing leaf base, crenate margins, acetoxyfalcarinol is the chief compound. The roots of glabrous on both sides; Flowers are fascicled C. asiatica are rich in amino acids, specially umbels, each umbel consisting of 3-4 white to purple glutamic, serine, alanine, threonine, aspartic, flowers; fruits are oblong and globular in shape, histidine and lysine. It is also affluent in vitamin A borne right through the growing season in approx 2 (retinol), vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 inches long. Seeds have pedulous embryo, has (riboflavin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin B5 characteristic odor, and bittersweet taste. C. asiatica (niacin) and carotene [7]. 152 Zahara et al 5. Traditional Uses species, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholera. 5.1 Food and beverages In another study the carbon tetrachloride, n-hexane, C. asiatica is commonly eaten as fresh vegetable in chloroform soluble fractions of methanol extract Indonesia and Malaysia [8]. It is used in preparation from C. asiatica showed antibacterial activity against of soup or as a main vegetable. Due to slight 8 gram negative bacteria i.e. Shigella dysenteriae, bitterness it is cooked along with coconut, sweet Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella potatoes and potatoes [9]. typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigellaboydii, In various region of the world C. asiatica is used as Vibrio mimicus and Vibrio parahemolyticus and 5 health tonic [10]. From fresh plant drink and juice is gram negative strains of bacteria i.e. Bacillus prepared [11]. It is commonly used by Chinese and megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Thai people as a cooling drink and for thirst Bacillus subtilis and Sarcinalutea [28]. Diethyl ether, quenching purpose [12]. In India it is a constituent of hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol a drink called “thandaayyee”. In Sri Lanka leaves of extracts of C. asiatica showed inhibition of K. C. asiatica are used for preparation of a porridge aerogenes, P. vulgaris, B. subtilis and S. aureus called “kola kenda” and a curry called “mallung” species. But no activity was observed against [13]. Pseudomonas aerogenes and Escherichia coli [29]. 5.2 Ethnomedicinal uses In another study conducted against 10 isolates of C. asiatica is an ethnomedicinally important plant, pathogenic fish bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, used all over the world for the treatment of cholera, Escherichia coli, Edwardsiella tarda, Staphylococcus jaundice, diarrhea, hepatitis, syphilis, measles, aureus Citrobacter freundii, Streptococcus agalatiae, toothache, leukorrhoea, smallpox, haematemesis, Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio alginolyticus, V. toothache, asthma, urethritis, renal stones, vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus and Streptococcus rheumatism, varices, neuralgia, anorexia, leprosy and aginosus, C. asiatica did not show any inhibition of skin diseases as an analgesic, antipyretic and anti- these tested strains [29]. inflammatory. 6.3 Antifungal activity 6. Bioactivities Petroleum ether and Ethanolic extracts of C. asiatica 6.1 Antioxidant activity showed considerable activity against different strains According to Zainol et al., [20] the leaves of C. of fungi like Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus asiatica showed highest antioxidant activity they also and Aspergillus niger [30, 49]. In another study the found that leaves contain highest phenolic content as Chloroform, Hexane, carbon tetrachloride and compare to other parts of C. asiatica which propose aqueous soluble fractions of methanolic showed that phenolic compounds are the chief contributors to inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus the antioxidative activities. Leaves are reported to niger and Candida albicans [28]. have high antioxidant potential in three different Using agar well diffusion method Bobbarala et al., pathways include inhibition of linoleic acid [31] observed the antifungal potential of 49 plant peroxidation (98.2%), superoxide free radical species against Aspergillus niger and proved that the scavenging activity (86.4%) and radical scavenging methanolic extracts of 43 plants including C. asiatica activity, DPPH (92.7%) [21]. demonstrated varying degrees of inhibition activity. Conversely, Abdul- Hamid et al., [14] stated that 6.4 Antiviral activity ethanol extract of C. asiatica root demonstrated the A study conducted on proved that the crude aqueous maximum activity although it was not considerably extract of Mangifera indica and C. asiatica confirm dissimilar from the leaves. anti-herpes simplex virus activities [32]. Another study proved that C. asiatica has strongest 6.5 Antifilarial activity DPPH radical scavenging activity based on ascorbic Sarkar et al., [33] conducted an investigation on dogs acid and gallic acid equivalent amongst the eleven infected with Dirofilaria immitis and reported that edible green leafy vegetables [22]. In another study the mixture of Acacia auriculiformis and C. asiatica conducted on 20 traditional leafy vegetables extracts showed considerable reduction in filarial cultivated in South Africa C. asiatica is proved to counts. have highest antioxidant activity [23]. Higher 6.6 Antitumour activity antioxidant activity of C. asiatica was also observed With no toxic effects on lymphocytes the methanol by Akula and Odhav [24], Pittella et al., [25] and extract of C. asiatica is proved to inhibit the growth Nanasombat and Teckchuen [26]. of tumor cells and its aqueous extract has a chemo 6.2 Antibacterial activity protective effect on colon tumorigenesis [34]. Due to Through viable cell count method Mamtha et al., [27] stimulative effect on collagen synthesis asiatic acid observed that the alcoholic extract of plant showed isolated from C. asiatica possesses good wound bactericidal action within 2 hours against Shigella healing activities. It could be valuable in 153 Pure Appl. Bio., 3(4): 152-159, December- 2014 154 Zahara et al Table-1, Vernacular names of Centella asiatica [2]. Region/Language Vernacular Name China Fo-ti-tieng, Chi-hsueuh-ts’ao USA Indian Pennywort, Marsh Pennywort Hawaii Pohe Kula Nepal Ghodtapre Urdu Brahmi Malay Pegaga Malayalam Kodagam Hindi Mandookaparni Bengali Thankuni Table-2, Systematic classification (Taxonomy) of Centella asiatica [3] Classification Name Kingdom Eukaryota Subkingdom Embryophyta Division Spermatophyta Subdivision Angiospermae Class Dicotyledoneae Subclass Rosidae