Apiaceae
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.
A
Common names: BRN: pegaga; KHM: trachiek kranh; IDN: daun kaki kuda, pegagan, antanan gede; LAO: phak nok; MYS: pegaga; MMR: min-kuabin; PHL: takip-kohol, tapingandaga (Tagalog), hahang-halo (Bisaya); SGP: pegaga; THA: bua bok (central), pa-na-e-kha- do (Karen-Mae Hong Son), phak waen (peninsular), phak nok (northern); VNM: rau mas, t[is]ch tuy[ees]t th[ar]o; ENG: Asiatic pennywort Description: A small perennial herb, creeping with long stolons (up to 2.5 m long), rooting at the nodes. Leaves in rosettes, simple, 1 cm to 7 cm in diameter, coarsely and shallowly toothed, 2 cm to 5 cm long and usually broader than long, palmately veined and subglabrous. Inflorescence an axillary simple umbel, 1 cm to 7 cm long, flowers 5-merous with roundish to broadly obovate, pinkish-purple petals. Fruit oblate-rounded, 4 mm to 5 mm broad and 3 mm high, 7- to 9ribbed, strongly laterally compressed, pubescent when young but often glabrescent. Seed laterally compressed. Asiatic pennywort grows and flowers year round. It is also easily propagated vegetatively by runner which root on the nodes, although reproduction by seed is possible.
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ASEAN’S 100 MOST PRECIOUS PLANTS
Photos by M. David
s the name of species implies, both scientific (Centella asiatica) and English (Asiatic pennywort), this species is a ‘real’ Asian.
Leaves (above); habit (opposite page)
Uses: It is basically used for medicinal purposes by southern Asians, Indians, and Chinese for many centuries now. The plant has tonic and cooling properties, which is used to treat skin diseases and problems such as wounds, burns, keloids, and slowhealing wounds, to name a few. The leaves, fresh juice, and a decoction, is applied to affected body area. It is said as an effective topical medicine to slow-healing wound. The medical use of Asiatic pennywort has been proven within and outside Asia. Research information on its medical use has been documented in literatures. Centella has even been used as ‘food for the brain’ either to prevent nervous breakdown or after a nervous breakdown to rebuild energy reserves. Due to its energising effect on the cells of the brain, it relieves high blood pressure, mental fatigue, senility, and helps the body defend itself against various toxins.
It can also be taken orally. It is believed to relieve the symptoms of venous and lymphatic vessel including arthritis pain, heal enlargement of an organ due to increase size of its cells (hypertrophy) and treat skin ulcers, dysentery, problem on producing/flowing of milk and epilepsy. It works as a blood purifier and in strengthening the heart, as well as with bowel problems, rheumatism, skin problems, and also promotes blood circulation in the lower limbs and reduces the pain and swelling due to phlebitis. The test in India using Asiatic pennyworth as one ingredient of anti-epileptic syrup, resulted to a significant antiepileptic effect to rats. In Vietnam, it is one ingredient in preparing pills to treat senility problem and acute infective hepatitis. Most Southeast Asians, eat the whole plant as vegetable, cooked or raw. With its slightly bitter taste, most Indo-Chinese people used it as an ingredient in softdrinks by diluting the extracts with water and sugar. Interestingly, in the Philippines it is reported to be one of the main pollen sources for honey bees. Distribution and habitat: It is distributed in Southeast Asia and in other pantropical regions and in subtropical regions. It occurs in areas where there is light or slightly shaded, damp fertile soils, stream banks, and in open grasslands up to 2500 m altitude. It also occurs in a variety of open situations, both coastal and inland.