Triterpenic and acyl glycosides from the leaves of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban

Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (Apiaceae) is a small perennial, prostrate herb indigenous to India, south-eastern Asia, United States and Africa. It is used to treat anxiety, asthma, blood circulation, cancer, colds, cough, elephantiasis, epilepsy, fevers, gastrointestinal problems, hepatic, skin and urinary tract diseases, hydrocele, hypertension, hysteria, insomnia, rheumatism, scleroderma, strangury, ulcers and wounds. Phytochemical investigation of a methanolic extract of the leaves resulted in the isolation of urs-12- en-3β-ol-28-oic acid-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2′-arachidate (ursolic acid glucosidic arachidate, 1), n-decanoyl-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6′→1′′)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (n-capryl diglucoside, 2), urs-12-en-3β-ol-28-oic acid 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(2′→1′′)-O-β-Dxylopyranoside (ursolic acid 3-O-β-D-dixyloside, 3), glyceryl 1-decanoyl-2-phosphate (4), n-dodecanoyl-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6′→1′′)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6′′→1′′′)-Oβ-D-glucopyranosyl-6′′′→1′′′′)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (lauroyl tetraglucoside, 5), n-octanoyl-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6a→1b)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6b→1c)-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl-(6c→1d)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6d→1e)-O-β-D glucopyranoside (caproyl pentaglucoside, 6) and ursan-3β-ol-28-al-3-O-α-L arabinopyranosyl-(2a→1b)- O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(2b→1c)-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(2c→1d)-O-α-Lglucopyranosyl-(2d→1e)-O-α-L-glucopyranosyl-(2e→1f)-O-α-L-glucopyranoside (ursolic aldehyde 3-O-α-L-hexaglycoside, 7). The structures of these phytoconstituents have been elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical reactions.