ARS | Publication request: Two New Triterpene Glycosides from Centella asiatica

Submitted to: Planta Medica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 10, 2010
Publication Date: February 8, 2010
Citation: Rumalla, C.S., Ali, Z., Weerasooriyaa, A.D., Smillie, T., Khan, I.A. 2010. Two New Triterpene Glycosides from Centella asiatica. Planta Medica. 76:1018-1021.

Interpretive Summary: Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.(Apiaceae) is a well known medicinal plant and commonly known as Gotu kola. It has been widely cultivated in China, Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka and Africa as a green vegetable as well as medicinal herb. It is valued in Indian system of medicine for improving memory and for the treatment of nerve disorders and skin diseases. Phytochemical investigation of its leaves was undertaken for further study as part of our program to discover chemical and /or biological markers of the dietary supplements. This manuscript describes the isolation and characterization of a new ursane type triterpene named as asiaticoside G (1) together with nine known compounds.

Technical Abstract: Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Centella asiatica resulted in the isolation and characterization of one new ursane type triterpene glycoside; asiaticoside G along with nine known compounds, that were characterized as ursane type triterpenes and /or their glycoside; asiatic acid (2), madecassic acid (3), asiaticoside C (6), asiaticoside F (7) asiaticoside (8), madecoside (9) as well as sitosterol 3-O-ß-glucoside (4), stigmasterol 3-O-ß-glucoside (5), and querectin-3-O-ß-D-glucuronide (10). Structural elucidation was done by using spectroscopic techniques, including 1D-, 2D-NMR and HR-ESI-MS as well as comparison with the reported data.