Home > Herbs > Centella Asiatica

Indian pennywort

Centella asiatica · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1600 studies) · ★★★★★

Indian pennywort, scientifically known as Centella asiatica, is a perennial herb revered in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Renowned for its remarkable skin-healing properties and cognitive-enhancing benefits, it contains active triterpenoids. Today, this versatile botanical is a cornerstone ingredient in modern dermatological formulations and neurological health supplements.

Family
Apiaceae
Native range
Africa
Parts used
Leaf · Stem
Common names
Asiatic Pennywort · Indian Pennywort · 13 more
Scientific synonyms
Centella Ulugurensis · Centella Asiatica Var. Crispata · 30 more

Names

Common Names

Regional and Traditional Names

Spanish:

  • Gotu Kola
  • Antanan
  • Centella asiática
  • Pegaga
  • hierba de clavo
  • sombrerito
  • Oreja de ratón

German:

  • Indischer Wassernabel
  • Gotu Kola
  • Hydrocotyle asiatica
  • Tigergras
  • Asiatischer Wassernabel
  • Goto Kola
  • asiatisches Sumpfpfennigkraut
  • Indischer Wassernabel

French:

  • Gotu Kola
  • Antanan
  • Pegaga
  • Herbe du tigre
  • fausse violette
  • Hydrocotyle asiatica
  • Trisanthus cochinchinensis
  • écuelle d'eau
  • Herbe boileau

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Centella asiatica

Synonyms

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Apiales, it is classified under the family Apiaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Centella.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Apiales WCVP
Family Apiaceae WCVP
Genus Centella WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions. Within Macaronesia, its presence can be noted in Cape Verde. The species is also widely distributed throughout West Tropical Africa. Specifically, it is found in nations such as Benin, Burkina, and Gambia. Additionally, the plant's range extends into Ghana within the same West Tropical African zone.

Region Area Source
Macaronesia Cape Verde WCVP
West Tropical Africa Benin WCVP
West Tropical Africa Burkina WCVP
West Tropical Africa Gambia WCVP
West Tropical Africa Ghana WCVP
West Tropical Africa Guinea-Bissau WCVP
West Tropical Africa Guinea WCVP
West Tropical Africa Ivory Coast WCVP
West Tropical Africa Liberia WCVP
West Tropical Africa Mali WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, commonly known as Gotu Kola, is a perennial herb that thrives in moist environments. The most therapeutically significant part of the species is the kidney-shaped leaf, which is often found growing in dense clusters. Each individual leaves structure is characterized by prominent veins and crenate margins, serving as the primary site for bioactive compounds. While the plant features a creeping stem known as a stolon that allows it to spread across the ground, researchers also utilize plant callus cultures in laboratory settings to study and mass-produce its medicinal constituents.
Plant Part Sources Consensus
leaf Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences (and other 28 sources) ★★★★★
stem PloS one (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
root 3 Biotech (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆

Chemicals

Centella asiatica has 208 reported phytochemicals identified across 35 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Asiaticoside, Asiatic acid, Madecassoside, Madecassic acid, Flavonoids.

Chemicals reported in Centella asiatica
Chemical Supporting sources Consensus
Asiaticoside 50 supporting sources ★★★★★
Asiatic acid 44 supporting sources ★★★★★
Madecassoside 36 supporting sources ★★★★★
Madecassic acid 27 supporting sources ★★★★★
Flavonoids 13 supporting sources ★★★★★
Saponins 8 supporting sources ★★★★☆
triterpenoids 8 supporting sources ★★★★☆
kaempferol 7 supporting sources ★★★★☆
quercetin 7 supporting sources ★★★★☆
Tannins 5 supporting sources ★★★☆☆

Asiaticoside

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
  3. Pharmaceutical biology
  4. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  5. Phytochemistry
View 45 additional sources
  1. Scientific reports
  2. Indian journal of experimental biology
  3. Indian journal of leprosy
  4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  5. Heliyon
  6. Horticulture research
  7. European journal of dermatology : EJD
  8. Nanotechnology
  9. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  10. Chemistry & biodiversity
  11. Pharmaceutics
  12. Behavioural brain research
  13. Natural product communications
  14. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  15. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  16. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  17. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  18. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
  19. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
  20. Ai zheng = Aizheng = Chinese journal of cancer
  21. Annals of medicine
  22. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  23. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  24. Molecular medicine reports
  25. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  26. Journal of AOAC International
  27. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
  28. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  29. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
  30. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  31. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  32. Plant & cell physiology
  33. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology
  34. Computers in biology and medicine
  35. Planta medica
  36. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  37. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  38. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  39. Frontiers in pharmacology
  40. Life sciences
  41. Pharmacognosy magazine
  42. Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E
  43. Biomolecules
  44. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii
  45. Contact dermatitis

Asiatic acid

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
  3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  4. Journal of Asian natural products research
  5. Pharmaceutical biology
View 39 additional sources
  1. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  2. Scientific reports
  3. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences
  4. Tissue & cell
  5. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  6. Metabolites
  7. European journal of dermatology : EJD
  8. Chemistry & biodiversity
  9. Frontiers in pharmacology
  10. Behavioural brain research
  11. Toxicology mechanisms and methods
  12. Natural product communications
  13. Frontiers in neuroscience
  14. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
  15. Metabolic brain disease
  16. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  17. Current issues in molecular biology
  18. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  19. American journal of translational research
  20. Annals of medicine
  21. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  22. International journal of pharmaceutics
  23. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
  24. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  25. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  26. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology
  27. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  28. Nutrients
  29. Computers in biology and medicine
  30. Planta medica
  31. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  32. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
  33. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  34. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  35. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  36. Drug design, development and therapy
  37. Bioactive materials
  38. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii
  39. Contact dermatitis

Madecassoside

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
  3. Pharmaceutical biology
  4. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  5. Scientific reports
View 31 additional sources
  1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  2. Horticulture research
  3. Chemistry & biodiversity
  4. Behavioural brain research
  5. Natural product communications
  6. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  7. Fitoterapia
  8. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  9. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
  10. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
  11. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
  12. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  13. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  14. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  15. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  16. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
  17. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
  18. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  19. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  20. Plant & cell physiology
  21. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  22. Computers in biology and medicine
  23. Planta medica
  24. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  25. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  26. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  27. Narra J
  28. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  29. Frontiers in pharmacology
  30. Biochemical pharmacology
  31. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii

Madecassic acid

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
  3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  4. Pharmaceutical biology
  5. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
View 22 additional sources
  1. Scientific reports
  2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  3. European journal of dermatology : EJD
  4. Chemistry & biodiversity
  5. Se pu = Chinese journal of chromatography
  6. Behavioural brain research
  7. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  8. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  9. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
  10. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  11. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  12. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  13. Planta medica
  14. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  15. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  16. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  17. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  18. Frontiers in pharmacology
  19. Frontiers in plant science
  20. Biochemical pharmacology
  21. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii
  22. Contact dermatitis

Flavonoids

  1. PloS one
  2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Neurochemical research
  4. Chemistry & biodiversity
  5. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
View 8 additional sources
  1. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
  3. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
  4. Drug metabolism and personalized therapy
  5. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  6. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  7. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
  8. Journal of separation science

Saponins

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Gene
  4. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
  5. Journal of plant physiology
View 3 additional sources
  1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
  2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
  3. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

triterpenoids

  1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
  2. Chemistry & biodiversity
  3. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Planta medica
View 3 additional sources
  1. Journal of natural medicines
  2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  3. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

kaempferol

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  3. Chemistry & biodiversity
  4. Drug metabolism and personalized therapy
  5. Frontiers in pharmacology
View 2 additional sources
  1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

quercetin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
  4. Drug metabolism and personalized therapy
  5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
View 2 additional sources
  1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Tannins

  1. Indian journal of pharmacology
  2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Neurochemical research
  4. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
  5. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Activities

Centella asiatica has 595 reported activities identified across 35 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Antibacterial.

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Consensus
Antioxidant Dr. Duke (and other 27 sources) ★★★★★
Neuroprotective Dr. Duke (and other 17 sources) ★★★★★
Antimicrobial Metabolites (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
Cytotoxic Dr. Duke (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
Antibacterial Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Anxiolytic Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Anticancer Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Antidiabetic Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Antitumor Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Hepatoprotective Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Centella asiatica has 156 reported medicinal uses identified across 35 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include wound healing, Alzheimer's disease, oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer.

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Consensus
wound healing Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 27 sources) ★★★★★
Alzheimer's disease Current neuropharmacology (and other 15 sources) ★★★★★
oxidative stress Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 15 sources) ★★★★★
inflammation International journal of molecular sciences (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
cancer Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Parkinson's disease PloS one (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
memory Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
neurodegenerative diseases Advances in neurobiology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
depression Pharmaceutics (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
wounds Infectious disorders drug targets (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆

Preparations

Preparations Sources Consensus
extracts Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
aqueous extract PloS one (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
CA extract Chemistry & biodiversity (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
ethanolic extract Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
extract Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
methanol extract Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia) (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
plant extracts Parasitology research (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
water extract Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Asiaticoside Heliyon (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Centella asiatica extract Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆