Takip-kuhol

Common names: halonghalong (C. Bis),Indian Hydrocotyle(Eng.),Panggaga(Bon),Tagadlak(Lv), Pispising(Bon),Takip suso(Tag),Tapingan daga(Tag), yahong yahongP.B.,S.L,Bis.),(1) Gotu kola(Chinese)(8)

Scientific name: Centella asiatica(1)

Family name: Apiaceae(5)

Description of Takip kuhol and its Parts

Takip kuhol is a perennial herbaceous plant common in moist tropical and subtropical regions of India and South America. The drug is derived from the aerial parts (leaves, stems, stolons) that are cut at the time of flowering. (11)

Takip kuhol has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb, as far back as 3000 years ago in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, 2000 years ago in Chinese medicine, in the late 1800s in French pharmacopoeia. Contrary to its name, it contains no cola or caffeine.(2)It has been called “the fountain of life” because legend has it that an ancient Chinese herbalist lived for more than 200 years as a result of taking gotu kola.(8)

Takip kuhol is a prostrate, creeping sparingly hairy or nearly smooth herb. The stems rooting at the nodes, the leaves: rounded to reniform, 2 to 5 cm wide, horizontal, more or less cupped, rounded at the tip, and kidney-shaped or heart-shaped at the base, palmately veined, scalloped margins, the margins, the rounded lobes often overlapping. Petioles erect, 3 to 20 cm and long.(3)

Flowers: petals dark-purple,and about 1 long. Peduncles occur in pairs or threes, less than 1 cm long usually bears 3 sessile flowers. Flowering October to May. (3)

Fruits: minute, ovoid, white or green, reticulate, each with 9 subsimilar longitudinal ridges.(3)

5 carpels, cylindric compressed, about 2.5 mm long, white or green, reticulate. Ovary inferior, Stamens 5, epigynous.(3)





Picture of Takip kuhol and its important Parts

The roots and leaves are used medicinally. (6)



Constituents

-An oily volatile liquid called vellarin (which has a strong smell reminiscent of the plant, and a bitter, pungent, persistent taste) and tannic acid.(3)

Leaves yield vellarine (1% in dry plant), an oily, non-volatile liquid, responsible for the odor, and considered to be the chemically active principle of the plant.
• Analysis has described vellarine as an inspissated oil of pale yellowish color, with a bitter, pungent, and persistent taste, with a marked odor of hydrocotyle, subject to variations of heat, humidity, and atmosphere.
• Chemical analysis of the plant shows the presence of vellarine, high vitamin B content in the leaves and roots, and a miscellany of other constituents such as carbohydrates, resins, proteins, ash, alkali, alkaline salts, phosphates, and tannins.

The vellarine is obtained principally from the roots.
• Phytochemical studies have shown triterpenoid glycosides, phytosterols, amino acids, free acids, volatile oils and flavonoids.
• Analysis has reported chemical composition as: Resinous and oil substances, 8.9%; tannic acid and sugar, 24.5%; mucilage and extractive, 11.5%; pectin and albuminous matter, 12.5%, ash, mostly as alkaline chlorides, 12.0%.
• Triterpenoid saponins include asiaticoside, centelloside, madecassoside and asiatic acid.(2)

Traditional Use

Crushed leaves are commonly consumed by Sri Lanka as salad or hot beverage. More recently the herb acquired a considerable reputation as an aphrodisiac, an agent that stimulates sexual vitality. (5)

Gotu kola has been important in the medicinal systems of central Asia for centuries. In Sri Lanka, it was purported to prolong life, as the leaves are commonly eaten by elephants. Numerous skin diseases, ranging from poorly healing wounds to leprosy, have been treated with gotu kola. Gotu kola also has a historical reputation for boosting mental activity and for helping a variety of illnesses, such as high blood pressure, rheumatism, fever, and nervous disorders. Some of its common applications in Ayurvedic medicine include heart disease,water retention, hoarseness, bronchitis, and coughs in children, and as a poultice for many skin conditions.(6)



Pharmacological Activity

· Anti-Enteropathogens: Study demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of Centella asiatica against enterophathogens. Broad spectrum activity of the herb was observed against a range of enteric pathogens. Against V cholera, Shigella species and S. aureus, the alcoholic extract was bactericidal within 2 hr. (6)

· Antibacterial Agent against three common infectious bacteria, which explains the efficacy on the plant against infectious diseases which these bacteria cause:

-Escherichia coli, a type of bacteria that lives in our intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, some types can make us sick and cause diarrhea. (5)

-Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium frequently found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin.(5)

-Salmonella enteric. Salmonellosis, is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Most person infected with Salmonell develop diarrhea, fever, and abnormal cramps.(5)

· Wound Healing (7)Asiaticoside derived from the plant Centella asiatica is known to possess good wound healing activity. Enhanced healing activity has been attributed to increased collagen formation and angiogenesis. Since antioxidants have been reported to play a significant role in the wound healing process we studied the effect of asiaticoside on the levels of certain antioxidants in the wound so as to explore the possible involvement of such a mechanism in the asiaticoside induced wound healing. Asiaticoside application (0.2%, topical) twice daily for 7 days to excision-type cutaneous wounds in rats led to increased enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, namely superoxide dismutase (35%), catalase (67%), glutathione peroxidase (49%), vitamin E (77%) and ascorbic acid (36%) in newly formed tissues. It also resulted in a several fold decrease in lipid peroxide levels (69%) as measured in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. However, continued application for 14 days showed no significant difference in these antioxidants compared with their values in vehicle treated wound tissue. It appears from the present study that asiaticosides enhanced induction of antioxidant levels at an initial stage of healing which may be an important contributory factor in the healing properties of this substance. (9)

· Antimicrobial activity, anticancer activity, neuroprotective acivity, immunomodulatory activity, anti-inflammatory activity, hepatoprotective activity, insecticidal activity, and antioxidant activity. (7)





Toxicity

Alcoholic extracts have shown no toxicity in rats.
• Patients have reported GI upsets and nausea as adverse effects. Rashes have been reported with topical use. Few cases of liver enzyme elevations resolved on discontinuation of the herb use. (2)

Three case of hepatotoxicity have been reported with patients using C. asiatica for 20 to 60 days. (10)











References:

1. http://www.oocities.org/herbalpage/Subpage/takip_kuhol.htm, Retrived: July 25, 2014

2.http://www.stuartxchange.org/TakipKohol.html Retrived: July 25,2014

3. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/hydcol46.html Retrived:July 25,2014 4.Retrieved:July26,2014http://www.filipinoherbshealingwonders.filipinovegetarianrecipe.com/takip-kohol.htm

5. http://naturalismavrotor.blogspot.com/2014_02_01_archive.html Retrieved: July 26,2014

6. Brinkhaus B, Linder M, Schuppan D, Hahn EG. Chemical, pharmacological and clinical profile of the East Asian medical plant Centella asiatica. Phytomed. 2000;7(5):427-448.Retrieved: July 26, 2014 http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-2100004#hn-2100004-uses

7. The Intern Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, Vol. 5, No. 3, 137-143 (2006) / DOI: 10.1177/1534734606291313. Retrieved: July 26,2014http://biopublisher.ca/html-607-43-mpr(Effect of Centella asiatica L (Umbelliferae) on Normal and Dexamethasone-Suppressed Wound Healing in Wistar Albino Rats

8. Retrived: July 26,2014http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/gotu-kola

9. Shukla A, Rasik AM, Dhawan BN. Asiaticoside-induced elevation of antioxidant levels in healing wounds. Phytother Res. 1999;13(1):50-54. Retrieved: July 26,2014http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10189951

10. Retrieved:July 26,2014http://www.drugs.com/npp/gotu-kola.html

11. Coldren CD, Hashim P, Ali JM, Oh SK, Sinskey AJ, Rha C. Gene expression changes in the human fibroblast induced by Centella asiatica triterpenoids. Planta Med 2003, 69:725-32. Retrieved:July 26,2014 http://www.my-personaltrainer.it/integratori/centella.html#2





Compiled by: Nemia J. Pacino