Abstract
Centella asiatica, a triterpene-rich medicinal herb, is traditionally used to treat various types of
diseases including neurological, dermatological, and metabolic diseases. A few articles
have previously reviewed a broad range of pharmacological activities of C. asiatica, but none of these reviews focuses on the use of C. asiatica in cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize recent findings on protective
effects of C. asiatica and its active constituents (asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, and madecassoside)
in cardiovascular diseases. In addition, their beneficial effects on conditions associated
with cardiovascular diseases were also reviewed. Articles were retrieved from electronic
databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar using keywords “Centella asiatica,” “asiatic acid,” “asiaticoside,” “madecassic acid,” and “madecassoside.” The articles
published between 2004 and 2018 that are related to the aforementioned topics were
selected. A few clinical studies published beyond this period were also included.
The results showed that C. asiatica and its active compounds possess potential therapeutic effects in cardiovascular
diseases and cardiovascular disease-related conditions, as evidenced by numerous in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. C. asiatica and its triterpenes have been reported to exhibit cardioprotective, anti-atherosclerotic,
antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory
activities. In conclusion, more clinical and pharmacokinetic studies are needed to
support the use of C. asiatica and its triterpenes as therapeutic agents for cardiovascular diseases. Besides, elucidation
of the molecular pathways modulated by C. asiatica and its active constituents will help to understand the mechanisms underlying the
cardioprotective action of C. asiatica.
Key words
Centella asiatica
- Apiaceae - asiatic acid - asiaticoside - madecassic acid - madecassoside - cardiovascular
protective effect