Chemical composition and the inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase activity of Centella asiatica from Quang Tho village, Quang Dien district, Thua Thien – Hue province

Abstract

Centella asiatica is a very popular plant in Vietnam and in other South and Southeast Asia. It grows wildly or planted in all parts of Vietnam. People use this plant for treatment of many diseases or as a vegetable. This plant is a main product of economic importance in Quang Tho village, Quang Dien district, Thua Thien – Hue province, where it is planted according to VIETGAP standard. The MeOH extract from the aerial parts of Centella asiatica collected from Quang Tho village has shown a good inhibition of acetylcholinesterase in an experiment on mice brain. Chromatographic separation of this extract yielded kaempferol, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and a large amount (2.28 % of dry material) of asiaticoside A and asiaticoside B as a mixture with a ratio of 35:65, determined by 1H NMR spectrum.