Pharmacological Effects of Centella asiatica on Skin Diseases: Evidence and Possible Mechanisms

Abstract

The medicinal herb Centella asiatica (L.) Urban known as gotu kola has been reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. In particular, a significant body of scientific research exists on the therapeutic properties of preparations of C. asiatica or its triterpenes in the treatment of skin diseases. The present study is aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the beneficial effects of C. asiatica on skin diseases. Peer-reviewed articles on the potent dermatological effects of C. asiatica were acquired from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SciFinder. This review provides an understanding of pharmacological studies which confirm the potent dermatological effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of C. asiatica. This medicinal plant and its triterpenes include asiaticoside, madecassoside, and their aglycones, asiatic acid and madecassic acid. These compounds exert therapeutic effects on dermatological diseases such as acne, burns, atopic dermatitis, and wounds via NF-κB, TGF-β/Smad, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, and STAT signaling in in vitro and in vivo studies. However, additional rigorously controlled long-term clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the full potential of C. asiatica as a therapeutic agent.

RETRACTED: Centella asiatica extract in carboxymethyl cellulose at its optimal concentration improved wound healing in mice models

“…The results of the current study also correspond with those of the wound healing effect of C. asiatica reported previously [ 29 ], that it promoted wound repair by stimulating fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis; thereby to enhance cell growth in burn wounds [ 30 ]. A hydrogen gel preparation of C. asiatica extract has been reported to result in accelerated wound healing in mice [ 31 ].…”

Centella asiatica and Its Metabolite Asiatic Acid: Wound Healing Effects and Therapeutic Potential

“…Despite the reduced number of studies with focus on the inflammatory phase when compared to another phase of wound healing, the anti-inflammatory activity of CAE and Aa might be strongly evidenced in the inflammatory skin diseases models, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis [ 30 , 31 , 41 ]. Experimental studies performed in different animals models of wound healing, including phthalic anhydride (PA)-induced atopic dermatitis, excision, incision, burn and diabetic wounds models, have shown that the topical and oral administration of CAE reduces massive neutrophil recruitment accompanied by reducing release of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IgE, and inhibition of the expression of iNOS, COX-2, NF-κB and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in the site of skin injury [ 31 , 32 , 41 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ]. Recently, Kukula et al [ 53 ] showed that asiatic acid treatment (100 mg/kg, p.o) suppressed the imiquimod-induced increase in serum levels of IL-17A and IL-23 in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis model [ 53 ].…”

“…The experimental and clinical findings have suggested that many of the beneficial effects on cutaneous repair process produced by C. asiatica are directly associated with their actions on the proliferative phase of the wound healing process, such as stimulation of fibronectin and collagen synthesis, maintenance of connective tissue and the strengthening of weakened veins [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ]. Asiatic acid has been reported to possess wound healing activity by increasing collagen formation and angiogenesis.…”

“…Studies have shown that both Centella asiatica and asiatic acid act on cellular and molecular mechanisms of the remodelling phase [ 31 , 32 ]. Studies assessed in human dermal fibroblast culture reported an increase of type I collagen synthesis and crosslinking promoted by C. asiatica [ 43 , 44 ].…”

“…It is an herb also used in traditional medicine from Sri Lanka, Java and other Indonesian islands [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. The Indian pharmacopoeia recommended Centella asiatica for the treatment of various skin conditions such as leprosy, lupus, varicose ulcers, eczema and psoriasis [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Flavonoids, plant sterols, eugenol and pentacyclic triterpenoids are among the several interesting phytochemical constituents found in the C. asiatica [ 25 , 26 , 33 ].…”