Centella Asiatica

Nayon Hur et al. (2026) · Nutrients

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 112 women explored whether an oral Centella asiatica extract, taken as a daily tablet, changes measurable signs of skin aging. Centella asiatica, also called gotu kola, is traditionally used in Asian and Ayurvedic medicine for wound healing and skin problems. Skin aging here means deeper wrinkles, lower hydration, a weaker skin barrier (measured as water loss through the skin, TEWL) and less elasticity. The authors note that evidence for taking Centella by mouth for skin was limited and often based on small or subjective studies. Women aged 30 to 60 with visible crow's feet and fairly dry cheek skin were randomly assigned in Seoul to take either 200 mg a day of a standardized leaf extract (InnerCica, with asiaticoside as the marker compound) or an identical placebo for 12 weeks. Neither participants nor assessors knew who received which. Wrinkle depth, volume and roughness were measured with 3D skin imaging, and hydration, TEWL, elasticity and skin color with non-invasive probes at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, average wrinkle depth fell by 5.87 micrometres with the extract versus 1.96 with placebo (p = 0.018; an 11.1% drop from the extract group's baseline). The deepest wrinkle, wrinkle volume and roughness also improved more than with placebo. Cheek hydration rose and cheek water loss fell more with the extract (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005), but gains in elasticity and brightness were only about 0.7%, which the authors call modest. Three mild adverse events (one extract, two placebo) were judged unrelated, and blood tests stayed normal. The authors treat wrinkle depth as the confirmed result and everything else as supportive. They note the study included only women, tested one dose for 12 weeks, did not measure how the extract might work, and did not adjust for testing many outcomes, so long-term effects remain unknown. They call for longer, more diverse studies.

Massimo Chiaretti et al. (2020) · Scientific reports

This randomized clinical trial with 199 adults at an Italian university proctology clinic compared two plant-based venotonic products, called phlebotonics, with routine care for hemorrhoidal disease (swollen anal cushions that cause bleeding, itching or irritation, and pain) and for recovery after hemorrhoid surgery. One product was a flavonoid preparation containing rutin, borage, horse chestnut and witch hazel. The other was a Centella asiatica (gotu kola) preparation containing triterpenic acids, asiaticoside, arnica and aloe. Flavonoids are plant antioxidants reported to improve venous tone and reduce inflammation, while Centella is reported to stimulate collagen and repair connective tissue. Participants aged 18 to 85 were randomized to three groups. Group A (73 people) took 300 mg flavonoid tablets twice daily for 15 days and applied a 3 g ointment inside the anus once daily. Group B (66 people) took 60 mg Centella tablets twice daily for 15 days and used a 3 g Centella-based ointment. Group C (60 people) received routine care only. Everyone followed a water- and vegetable-rich diet and used a medicated soap for 42 days. Time until bleeding stopped was tracked, and irritation or pain was rated on a visual analogue scale. Among 130 people with hemorrhoidal disease, bleeding stopped after a median of 2 weeks with flavonoids and 3 weeks with Centella or routine care (flavonoids versus routine care p < 0.001, meaning a clear difference; Centella versus routine care p = 0.152, meaning no significant difference). Irritation scores were lower than routine care for both products (flavonoids p = 0.007; Centella p = 0.041), and the two products did not differ (p = 0.782). After hemorrhoidectomy (31 people), bleeding time did not differ significantly between groups, and pain differed only for flavonoids versus routine care (p = 0.045). In 34 people with thrombosed hemorrhoids, pain fell faster with either product (all p < 0.001). Tissue examination linked flavonoids to fibrosis, a fibrous tissue change in the excised piles (p = 0.008). No adverse reactions were reported except burning from the Centella ointment in one person, which led to suspension of that ointment. The authors interpret the results as favouring flavonoids for bleeding and irritation, with Centella comparable on irritation. Limitations are stated plainly: a single centre, only 42 days of follow-up, small surgical and thrombosis subgroups added after the original protocol, no described blinding of participants, and multi-ingredient products that prevent attributing effects to individual plants. A medicated soap containing Centella was also given to every group. The authors suggest longer trials to test whether the benefits last.

Jitesh Verma et al. (2025) · Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

This 90-day randomized trial with 180 boys compared two classical Ayurvedic memory herbs, Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) and Mandookaparni (Centella asiatica, also known as Gotu Kola) head-to-head, using an individualized approach based on Ayurvedic constitution (Prakriti) — the framework describing a person's inborn balance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, the three governing principles Ayurveda uses to explain bodily and mental tendencies. Both herbs belong to a class Ayurveda calls Medhya Rasayana, or intellect-enhancers, traditionally used to support learning and memory since antiquity. Boys aged 8-10 with a clearly dominant Prakriti type were randomly assigned to receive either Brahmi or Mandookaparni as a traditional honey-and-ghee electuary, 20 grams daily for 90 days. Memory was measured with the PGI-CMS (a 10-part children's memory scale covering things like recall, attention, and recognition), and IQ was estimated with a drawing-based test, both given before and after the 90-day period. Both herbs meaningfully improved memory: the Brahmi group improved on 9 of 10 memory subsets and total memory score rose about 9% (p<0.01 throughout), while the Mandookaparni group improved on 8 subsets plus attention, with total memory score rising about 13% (p<0.01). Head-to-head, Mandookaparni edged out Brahmi on remote memory, delayed recall, visual recognition, and overall memory score. The advantage was strongest in boys with a Pitta-dominant constitution, where Mandookaparni outperformed Brahmi on nearly every measure, while Vata- and Kapha-constitution boys showed little difference between the two herbs. No side effects were reported with either treatment. The findings suggest both herbs are safe and effective memory-enhancers in healthy children, with Mandookaparni showing a possible edge in retaining and recalling older information. Because the trial compared the two herbs directly rather than against a placebo, it cannot say how much benefit either provides over no treatment at all. The single-center, boys-only design also means the results may not generalize to girls or other populations, and the authors call for larger, multi-site trials.