Asiatic acid is a natural terpene, a compound derived from the plant Centella Asiatica, a member of the Apiaceae family. 

Industrial Production Process

• Harvesting of Centella asiatica. The plants are harvested when mature, as they contain the highest concentration of active compounds at this stage.
• Drying and grinding. The collected plants are dried in controlled environments to preserve volatile compounds, then ground into powder to increase extraction efficiency.
• Solvent extraction. The dried powder is soaked in an organic solvent like ethanol or methanol to extract triterpenoid compounds. The mixture is heated and agitated to enhance extraction efficiency.
• Filtration and concentration. The mixture is filtered to remove solids, and the solvent is then evaporated under vacuum to concentrate the triterpenoid extracts.
• Isolation of Asiatic acid. The concentrated extracts are purified using techniques like column chromatography to isolate Asiatic acid from related compounds.
• Final purification. The isolated Asiatic acid is further purified by recrystallization to remove any remaining impurities and improve product purity.
• Quality control. The final product undergoes rigorous quality testing to verify its purity and compliance with standards.

What it is used for and where

Asiatic acid has the characteristic of stimulating collagen production and improving healing, helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. This compound is particularly effective in anti-aging products, where it promotes smooth, firm, and radiant skin, enhancing the skin barrier and its resilience to environmental stress.

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

Light stabilizer. It prevents light from degrading light-sensitive components and slows down degradation reactions that have already begun. The mechanism is, in a way, similar to antioxidants and the effectiveness depends on the.complexity of the formulation and the density of the product.

Cosmetic Applications

Skin Regeneration. Asiatic acid stimulates collagen production and cell regeneration, helping to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and signs of aging.

Anti-aging Effects. Due to its ability to promote collagen, it helps reduce wrinkles and fine lines while improving skin elasticity.

Antioxidant Properties. It protects the skin from free radical damage, preventing premature aging and enhancing skin health.

Soothing Effects. It reduces skin inflammation and calms irritated skin, making it suitable for sensitive or damaged skin.

Versatile Applications. It can be incorporated into various cosmetic products, such as serums, creams, lotions, and masks, to enhance skin appearance and health.

Non-Cosmetic Applications

Anti-inflammatory Properties. It is studied for its ability to reduce inflammation and may be used in supplements or drugs to alleviate conditions like arthritis (1).

Wound Healing Support. It is used to promote the healing of ulcers and wounds due to its ability to stimulate tissue growth (2).

Neuroprotection. Research suggests that asiatic acid may have neuroprotective effects, potentially beneficial for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's (3).

Cardiovascular Health Support. It can help reduce cholesterol levels and improve circulation, supporting cardiovascular health (4).

Molecular Formula    C₃₀H₄₈O₅

Molecular Weight    488.7 g/mol

CAS    464-92-6

UNII    9PA5A687X5

EC Number    482-720-9

Synonyms:

Dammarolic acid

Asiantic acid

Asiaticacid

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Zhang L, Liu ZN, Han XY, Liu X, Li Y. Asiatic acid inhibits rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocyte growth through the Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2024 Mar;103(3):e14454. doi: 10.1111/cbdd.14454. PMID: 38477392.

(2) Diniz LRL, Calado LL, Duarte ABS, de Sousa DP. Centella asiatica and Its Metabolite Asiatic Acid: Wound Healing Effects and Therapeutic Potential. Metabolites. 2023 Feb 14;13(2):276. doi: 10.3390/metabo13020276. 

Abstract. An intense effort has been focused on new therapeutic approaches and the development of technologies for more efficient and rapid wound healing. The research for plants used for long time in traditional medicine in the treatment of wound has become a promising strategy to obtain drugs therapeutically useful in the acute and chronic wound management. In this context, Centella asiatica (Apiaceae) has been used to treat a variety of skin diseases, such as leprosy, lupus, varicose ulcers, eczema and psoriasis, in Asiatic traditional medicine for thousands of years. Studies have shown that Centella asiatica extracts (CAE) display activity in tissue regeneration, cell migration and wound repair process by promoting fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. Preliminary findings have shown that the asiatic acid is one of the main active constituents of C. asiatica, directly associated with its healing activity. Thus, this study discusses aspects of the effects of Centella asiatica and its active component, asiatic acid, in different stages of the healing process of cutaneous wounds, including phytochemical and antimicrobial aspects that contribute to its therapeutic potential.

(3) Ahmad Rather M, Justin Thenmozhi A, Manivasagam T, Nataraj J, Essa MM, Chidambaram SB. Asiatic acid nullified aluminium toxicity in in vitro model of Alzheimer's disease. Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2018 Jan 1;10(2):287-299. doi: 10.2741/e823. 

Abstract. Aluminium (Al) is a ubiquitously distributed environmental toxicant that lacks biological functions; however, its accumulation in the brain has been demonstrated to be linked to several neuropathological conditions particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Asiatic acid (AA), a triterpene extracted from Centella asiatica, has been reported to cross the blood brain barrier and also displayed antioxidant and neuroprotective activities. The present study was aimed to explore the neuroprotective effect of AA against aluminium maltolate (Al(mal)3) induced neurotoxicity by assessing cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage and apoptosis (Hoechst and dual staining, comet assay; expressions of pro-apoptotic, anti-apoptotic and signaling indices) via AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway in SH-SY 5Y neuroblastoma cells. Pre-treatment with AA significantly enhanced cell viability, attenuated rotenone-induced ROS, mitochondrial membrane dysfunction and apoptosis regulating AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Downregulation of Al induced neurodegeneration may be one of the approaches to control the impairment of metal ion homeostasis leading to neuronal injury in early development of AD. However, more extensive work in animal model is desirable to confirm its neuroprotective action.

(4) Razali NNM, Ng CT, Fong LY. Cardiovascular Protective Effects of Centella asiatica and Its Triterpenes: A Review. Planta Med. 2019 Nov;85(16):1203-1215. doi: 10.1055/a-1008-6138. 

Abstract. Centella asiatica, a triterpene-rich medicinal herb, is traditionally used to treat various types of diseases including neurological, dermatological, and metabolic diseases. A few articles have previously reviewed a broad range of pharmacological activities of C. asiatica, but none of these reviews focuses on the use of C. asiatica in cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize recent findings on protective effects of C. asiatica and its active constituents (asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, and madecassoside) in cardiovascular diseases. In addition, their beneficial effects on conditions associated with cardiovascular diseases were also reviewed. Articles were retrieved from electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar using keywords "Centella asiatica," "asiatic acid," "asiaticoside," "madecassic acid," and "madecassoside." The articles published between 2004 and 2018 that are related to the aforementioned topics were selected. A few clinical studies published beyond this period were also included. The results showed that C. asiatica and its active compounds possess potential therapeutic effects in cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular disease-related conditions, as evidenced by numerous in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. C. asiatica and its triterpenes have been reported to exhibit cardioprotective, anti-atherosclerotic, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In conclusion, more clinical and pharmacokinetic studies are needed to support the use of C. asiatica and its triterpenes as therapeutic agents for cardiovascular diseases. Besides, elucidation of the molecular pathways modulated by C. asiatica and its active constituents will help to understand the mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective action of C. asiatica.