Centella asiatica: A traditional herbal medicine

Abstract

Centella asiatica is mostly used in Chinese & Ayurvedic, Unani medicine as a Memory Enhancer, Nervous system disorders, and Topical Skin Disease treatments. Triterpenoids, Saponins are important chemical constituents believed to exert these pharmacological actions. Apart from this it’s also used in diarrhoea, fever, amenorrhea, reliving anxiety and cognitive effects’ asiatica or Gotu kola is often confused with kola nut which does not contains any CNS stimulants like caffein and do not show any stimulant effect. For hundreds of decades before it was used in ayurvedic system of medicine, which is recorded in ‘Sushruta Samhita’ an ancient ayurvedic medical manuscript. It’s also used by Indonesian and Javanese; Chinese ancient peoples know over 2000 years ago. This article focuses on the Phytochemistry, Traditional uses, Pharmacological effects, Toxicology of Centella asiatica.