TY - JOUR
T1 - Centella asiatica
T2 - phytochemistry and mechanisms of neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement
AU - Gray, Nora E.
AU - Alcazar Magana, Armando
AU - Lak, Parnian
AU - Wright, Kirsten M.
AU - Quinn, Joseph
AU - Stevens, Jan F.
AU - Maier, Claudia S.
AU - Soumyanath, Amala
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - This review describes in detail the phytochemistry and neurological effects of the medicinal herb Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. C. asiatica is a small perennial plant that grows in moist, tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout the world. Phytochemicals identified from C. asiatica to date include isoprenoids (sesquiterpenes, plant sterols, pentacyclic triterpenoids and saponins) and phenylpropanoid derivatives (eugenol derivatives, caffeoylquinic acids, and flavonoids). Contemporary methods for fingerprinting and characterization of compounds in C. asiatica extracts include liquid chromatography and/or ion mobility spectrometry in conjunction with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Multiple studies in rodent models, and a limited number of human studies, support C. asiatica’s traditional reputation as a cognitive enhancer, as well as its anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects. Neuroprotective effects of C. asiatica are seen in several in vitro models, for example against beta amyloid toxicity, and appear to be associated with increased mitochondrial activity, improved antioxidant status, and/or inhibition of the pro-inflammatory enzyme, phospholipase A2. Neurotropic effects of C. asiatica include increased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, and may be due to modulations of signal transduction pathways such as ERK1/2 and Akt. Many of these neurotropic and neuroprotective properties of C. asiatica have been associated with the triterpene compounds asiatic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside. More recently, caffeoylquinic acids are emerging as a second important group of active compounds in C. asiatica, with the potential of enhancing the Nrf2-antioxidant response pathway. The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of the triterpenes, caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids found in C. asiatica have been studied in humans and animal models, and the compounds or their metabolites found in the brain. This review highlights the remarkable potential for C. asiatica extracts and derivatives to be used in the treatment of neurological conditions, and considers the further research needed to actualize this possibility.
AB - This review describes in detail the phytochemistry and neurological effects of the medicinal herb Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. C. asiatica is a small perennial plant that grows in moist, tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout the world. Phytochemicals identified from C. asiatica to date include isoprenoids (sesquiterpenes, plant sterols, pentacyclic triterpenoids and saponins) and phenylpropanoid derivatives (eugenol derivatives, caffeoylquinic acids, and flavonoids). Contemporary methods for fingerprinting and characterization of compounds in C. asiatica extracts include liquid chromatography and/or ion mobility spectrometry in conjunction with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Multiple studies in rodent models, and a limited number of human studies, support C. asiatica’s traditional reputation as a cognitive enhancer, as well as its anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects. Neuroprotective effects of C. asiatica are seen in several in vitro models, for example against beta amyloid toxicity, and appear to be associated with increased mitochondrial activity, improved antioxidant status, and/or inhibition of the pro-inflammatory enzyme, phospholipase A2. Neurotropic effects of C. asiatica include increased dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, and may be due to modulations of signal transduction pathways such as ERK1/2 and Akt. Many of these neurotropic and neuroprotective properties of C. asiatica have been associated with the triterpene compounds asiatic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside. More recently, caffeoylquinic acids are emerging as a second important group of active compounds in C. asiatica, with the potential of enhancing the Nrf2-antioxidant response pathway. The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of the triterpenes, caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids found in C. asiatica have been studied in humans and animal models, and the compounds or their metabolites found in the brain. This review highlights the remarkable potential for C. asiatica extracts and derivatives to be used in the treatment of neurological conditions, and considers the further research needed to actualize this possibility.
KW - Brahmi
KW - Caffeoylquinic acids
KW - Centella asiatica
KW - Cognitive enhancement
KW - Flavonoids
KW - Gotu kola
KW - High-resolution mass spectrometry
KW - Liquid chromatography
KW - Neuroprotection
KW - Phytochemistry
KW - Triterpenes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029595815&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85029595815&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11101-017-9528-y
DO - 10.1007/s11101-017-9528-y
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85029595815
SN - 1568-7767
VL - 17
SP - 161
EP - 194
JO - Phytochemistry Reviews
JF - Phytochemistry Reviews
IS - 1
ER -