Abstracts : Centella asiatica has a reputation to restore decline cognitive function in traditional medicine and in animal model. However, little evidence regarding the efficacy of Centella asiatica from systematized trials is available. Therefore, the present randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study investigated the effect of Centella asiatica on cognitive function of healthy elderly volunteer. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight healthy elderly participants received the plant extract at various doses ranging 250, 500 and 750 mg once daily for 2 months. Cognitive performance was assessed using the computerized test battery and event-related potential whereas mood was assessed using Bond–Lader visual analogue scales prior to the trial and after single, 1 and 2 months after treatment.
Results: The results showed that the high dose of the plant extract enhanced working memory and increased N100 component amplitude of event-related potential. Improvements of self-rated mood were also found following the Centella asiatica treatment. Conclusion: Therefore, the present findings suggest the potential of Centella asiatica to attenuate the age-related decline in cognitive function and mood disorder in the healthy elderly. However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying these effects still require further investigation.
In conclusion, this study is the first study to demonstrate the scientific document with many valid biological markers to support the positive modulation effect of Centella asiatica on the cognitive function and mood in the healthy elderly.However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying these effects still require further investigation.
Positive modulation of cognition and mood in the healthy elderly volunteer following the administration of Centella asiatica, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 116 (2008) 325–332, Jintanaporn Wattanathorn, Lugkana Mator, Supaporn Muchimapura

Stretch marks may be prevented in some women by daily massage but it is unclear if any particular ingredients bring special benefit. Stretch marks are common by the end of pregnancy, occurring in most women. Though they later shrink and fade somewhat, they do not go away. Therefore, any treatment which prevented them would be welcomed by many women. The two papers reviewed may show that any cream massaged onto the abdomen, thighs and breasts (areas most affected by stretch marks) may help a little. There may be additional benefit from certain ingredients in the cream and the ointment described but it is unknown which constituent(s) is beneficial. Neither preparation is widely available.
Background : Many women (between 50% and 80% are reported) develop stretch marks (striae gravidarum) during pregnancy. A number of creams have been claimed to remove these stretch marks once they have developed but there is no reliable evidence to support such claims. Any topical treatment which could prevent the development of striae would be welcomed by many women.
Objectives : To assess the effects of topical treatments applied during pregnancy on the later development of stretch marks.
Main results : Two studies, involving 130 women in total, were included. One study, involving 80 women, indicated that, compared to placebo, massage with a cream (Trofolastin) containing Centella asiatica extract, alpha tocopherol and collagen-elastin hydrolysates was associated with less women developing stretch marks (odds ratio (OR) 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.99). A second study of 50 women compared massage using an ointment (Verum) containing tocopherol, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, elastin and menthol with no treatment. Massage with the ointment was associated with less women developing stretch marks (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.84)
Authors' conclusions : Trofolastin cream appears to help prevent the development of stretch marks in pregnancy in some women. Verum ointment may be helpful but the trial had no placebo and may show the benefitt of massage alone.
Creams for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy (Review) / Young GL, Jewell D / Cochrane review of 8 pages - The Cochrane Library 2005, Issue 1

Introduction: Centella asiatica is a plant used for centuries to enhance memory. We have previously shown that a water extract of Centella asiatica (CAW) attenuates age- related spatial memory deficits in mice and improves neuronal health. Yet the effect of CAW on other cognitive domains remains unexplored as does its mechanism of improving age-related cognitive impairment. This study investigates the effects of CAW on a variety of cognitive tasks as well as on synaptic density and mitochondrial and antioxidant pathways.
Methods: Twenty-month-old CB6F1 mice were treated with CAW (2 mg/ml) in their drinking water for 2 weeks prior to behavioral testing. Learning, memory, and execu- tive function were assessed using the novel object recognition task (NORT), object location memory task (OLM), and odor discrimination reversal learning (ODRL) test. Tissue was collected for Golgi analysis of spine density as well as assessment of mi- tochondrial, antioxidant, and synaptic proteins.
Results: CAW improved performance in all behavioral tests suggesting effects on hippocampal and cortical dependent memory as well as on prefrontal cortex medi- ated executive function. There was also an increase in synaptic density in the treated animals, which was accompanied by increased expression of the antioxidant response gene NRF2 as well as the mitochondrial marker porin.
Conclusions: These data show that CAW can increase synaptic density as well as antioxidant and mitochondrial proteins and improve multiple facets of age-related cognitive impairment. Because mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress also accompany cognitive impairment in many pathological conditions this suggests a broad therapeutic utility of CAW.
Keywords : aging, antioxidant, memory Centella asiatica increases hippocampal synaptic density and improves memory and executive function in aged mice - Nora E. Gray, Jonathan A. Zweig, Maya Caruso, Marjoen D. Martin, ennifer Y. Zhu, Joseph F. Quinn, Amala Soumyanath - Brain and Behavior. 2018

Abstract: Leaves of Centella asiatica (Centella) were analysed for their triterpene composition and bioactivity such as collagen enhancement, antioxidant, anticellulite and UV protection capacity properties. Triterpenes of Centella were measured using HPLCPAD on an Excil ODS 5 μm (C18) column for the simultaneous determination of asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside. Centella was found to contain significant amounts of madecassoside (3.10 ± 4.58 mg/mL) and asiaticoside (1.97 ± 2.65 mg/mL), but was low in asiatic and madecassic acid. The highest collagen synthesis was found at 50 mg/mL of Centella extracts. The antioxidant activity of Centella (84%) was compared to grape seed extract (83%) and Vitamin C (88%). Its lipolytic activity was observed by the release of glycerol (115.9 μmol/L) at 0.02% concentration. Centella extracts exhibited similar UV protection effect to OMC at 10% concentration. In view of these results, the potential application of Centella in food and pharmaceutical industries is now widely open.
Conclusion : Centella extract exhibited several potential bioactivities which could be of potential commercial interest in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Evaluation on Centella has found its chemical composition consist of four triterpenes, namely madecassoside, asiaticoside, madecassic acid and asiatic acid. The extract significantly stimulated collagen synthesis, better than vitamin C, and the lipolysis activity was found to be better than that of caffeine. The extract also showed an inhibitory effect with regards to free radical scavenging activity, comparable to grape seed extract. This preliminary UV study suggested that the Centella extract could be a potential natural protection against UVB damage and this activity might be due to its triterpene component(s). Therefore, further experiments are required to identify the component(s) responsible.
Triterpene Composition and Bioactivities of Centella asiatica, Molecules 2011, 16, 1310 - 1322, Puziah Hashim, Hamidah Sidek, Mohd Helme M. Helan