Asiaticoside

White creamy powder. Soluble in DMSO or ethanol. Slightly soluble in methanol. Chemical. CAS: 16830-15-2. Formula: C48H78O19. MW: 959.133. Asiaticoside is the main saponin constituent of C. asiatica, a plant long used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat dermatitis, diabetes, cough, cataract, hypertension, as well as for wound healing and improving memory. It is a human collagen I synthesis inducer with anti-wrinkle activity. It shows wound healing activity, enhancing normal human skin cell migration, attachment and growth. Asiaticoside is an anti-inflammatory compound that inibits MAPKs, NF-kappa, COX-2 and iNOS expression, and production of TNF-alpha and IL-6. Also shown to induce apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells. Described to have also antibacterial, antioxidant, anxiolytic, antidepressant-like, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and antileishmanial activity.