Centella asiatica is a plant from the wetlands of Asia with a centuries-long history in wound healing. Modern dermatological research has validated the core claim – its bioactive compounds demonstrably accelerate wound healing and reduce scar formation – and extended the applications to barrier repair and inflammatory skin conditions.
The active compounds are triterpene saponins: asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside, and madecassoside. These work through distinct mechanisms. Asiaticoside and madecassoside stimulate collagen synthesis by activating fibroblasts, accelerating the rebuilding of damaged skin structure. Asiatic acid and madecassic acid inhibit inflammatory pathways – specifically reducing TGF-beta1-mediated fibrosis (scar formation) and suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release.
In wound healing studies, centella extracts consistently reduce healing time, reduce scar thickness, and improve the organisation of collagen fibres in repaired tissue. The anti-inflammatory effects are clinically documented in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. For eczema-prone skin, centella’s combination of collagen stimulation and inflammation reduction addresses the barrier compromise and inflammation simultaneously.
Products will list it as centella asiatica extract, CICA, or by its standardised extract name (TECA – Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica). The standardised extracts are preferable since they guarantee a defined concentration of the active triterpenes rather than a variable crude extract.
Madecassoside specifically is worth noting as a standalone ingredient in some products – it’s the most potent anti-inflammatory of the centella triterpenes and has been shown to down-regulate NF-kB, a central transcription factor in the inflammatory response.