Native to tropical regions of Asia where it is commercially cultivated; it also grows in Hawaii and other regions.
Scientific name: Centella asiatica.
Other Names: Hydrocotyle asiatica, Gotu kola.
Active Ingredients: Pentacyclic triterpene saponins, which can vary from 1 to 8%, asiaticoside (asiatic acid ester and a trisaccharide) and madecassic acid madecassic acid and a trisaccharide). Other minority saponins are the centelloside, brahmoside, brahminoside and centellosaponins B, C and D.
In addition, it contains abundant tannins (20-25%), essential oil (0. 1%, with beta-caryophyllene, trans-beta-farnesene and germacrene D), phytosterols (campesterol, sitosterol, stigmaesterol), mucilages, resin, free amino acids (alanine, serine, aminobutyrate, aspartate, glutamate, lysine and threonine), flavonoids (quercetin and kempferol derivatives), an alkaloid (hydrocotylin), a bitter principle (vallerin), fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids).
Part Used: The whole plant.
