Centella asiatica, commonly known as centella and Gotu kola, is a small, frost-tender perennial plant native to Asia that is used in traditional Ayurvedic, African, and Chinese medicine. It contains pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins including asiaticoside and madecassoside that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. Centella is used to make herbal teas, balms, and supplements and has a long history of traditional uses including as a brain tonic, to treat leprosy and skin disorders, and to improve memory and reduce stress. Modern research also shows it may help treat anxiety, scleroderma, and

1. CENTELLA ASIATICA
By: K.S.Chetana

2. 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 Ayurvedic
medicine, 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.

3. 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 name
Vernacular names

4. 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

5. 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 vomitive
remedy (due to its pungent taste). In 1884 it was
incorporated in the French pharmacopoeia.

6. TAXONOMY
Botanical Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division : Angiospermae
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Apiales
Family : Apiaceae
Genus : Centella
Species: asiatica

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Centella asiatica

10. MORPHOLOGY
C.asitica Flower

11. 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.

12. PROPAGATION & CULTIVATION

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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).

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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. It’s also useful in relieving
headaches and indigestion.

19. As an oil :
Boil ½ 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 ½ cup dried gotu kola leaves with ½ 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.

20. 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 cup
Butter milk:3 cups
Salt:to taste
Ghee;1 tsp
Mustard seeds:1 tsp
Red chilly:1/2
How 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

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. PHARMACOLOGY
mild adaptogen
antibacterial
anti-viral
anti-inflammatory
anti-ulcerogenic
a cerebral tonic
a circulatory stimulant
nervine

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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(neer
brahmi) and other plants with orbicular leaves merremia
emerginata, hydrocotyle javanica ,Hydrocotyle
rofundifolia.
Recently large scale adulteration with Malva rofundifolia
has 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:

28. Bacopa monnieri Centella asiatica

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.