CENTELLIN – Beauty and Smart at the same time!

In recent years, scientists have linked the healing property of this plant to the presence of asiaticosides and its derivatives.
Centella extracts were used locally as adjunctive therapy in surgical treatment, injuries and minor burns.
It has also been successfully applied in the complementary treatment of foot ulcers (in the granulation stage).
Centella extracts have also been used orally, because it helps improve lymphatic and venous circulation, leading to wound healing.
Its positive effects on circulation have led to the traditional use of the herb in various brain disorders.

Pharmacological effects

The biological effects of Centella asiatica have been studied both in preclinical experiments, in vito experiments and in controlled clinical trials. Traditionally, the entire plant is used for medicinal purposes, including leaves.
The powdered medicine or standardized extracts have been used in clinical trials.
The extract may be administered orally, injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously or implanted under the skin.

A.Effects over brain functions

The plant's alcohol extract has prolonged the hypnotic effect of sodium phenobarbitone in rats, with a tranquilizing effect. Patients who suffer from neurosis or anxiety, who received treatment for six weeks with this plant, showed an improvement in mental fatigue and an improvement in memory.

In an open-label study of 30 mentally retarded children, a significant improvement in both mental capacity and behavior was observed after a daily dose of 0.5 g Centella Asian powder for 12 weeks.

In another one performed on 57 children with an intelligence score of 90-110, a significant improvement in scores was shown in children treated with dose of 0.5 g / day of powder for one year.

And another study of mentally retarded children for six months has seen a significant improvement in mental abilities, memory, and general adaptability.

B.Effects on circulation and healing properties of wounds

Centella asiatica extract has been used successfully in the treatment of keloid, foot ulcer, phlebitis, slow healing lesions, surgical lesions and cellulite.

The extract increased the synthesis of collagen, the new collagen exhibiting little specific activity. Nitric acid has been found to be the only component responsible for stimulating collagen synthesis.

One study showed that the 25 μg / ml extract did not significantly affect cell proliferation, protein synthesis or proteoglycan cell biosynthesis in human skin fibroblast cultures. However, a statistically significant increase was observed in the percentage of collagen and fibronectin in the cell layer, as evidenced by immunofluorescence measurements. The authors conclude that this effect of Centella asiatica, the extract on collagen and fibronectin, may be responsible for its wound healing properties.

The effects of Centella Asian extract on dermal wound healing in rats were evaluated both orally and by local administration modes. It has been found that the extract performs various actions in the stages of wound healing.

• The extract increased cell proliferation and collagen synthesis on the wound surface, as evidenced by increased DNA, protein and collagen content of granulation tissues.
• Collagen matured and fastened faster to treated animals than untreated animals.
• On the wounds treated with this extract, the epithelial tissue was formed faster

An important feature of Centella asiatica is the ability of active components to revitalize venous circulation and regulate metabolic processes in connective tissue and vascular wall.

Clinical trials in patients with varicose veins confirm the efficacy of Centella asiatica extract in this regard. Patients with varicose veins treated with a daily dose of 60 mg for three months demonstrated a decrease in mucopolysaccharide levels, as indicated by levels of uric acid and lysosomal enzymes. Volume of mucopolysaccharide volume is an indicator that impaired metabolism has been affected and shows marked increase in varicose subjects.

Several clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Centella asiatica extract in managing venous insufficiency in lower limbs. These effects have been shown to reduce ankle edema, leg deflation, reduced capillary filtration, and improved microcirculation.

Patients with venous hypertension showed a significant improvement in capillary permeability and increased microcirculation after treatment with tablets containing Centella Asian extract (60 mg three times a day for two weeks).

The beneficial properties and actions of Centella asiatica have also been used in healing burns, scleroderma, gastrointestinal ulcers, and chronic liver disease. It also improved the immune system and the level of collagen was adjusted.

An important use of Centella Asian extract is in the preparation of OTC products for skin care, recommended for regeneration of aging skin.

Products containing Centella asiatica extract are also available, used in the treatment of dermal itching and other skin irritations.