The optimal conditions for extraction, hydrolyzation and quantitative determination of the total amounts of two main triterpene acids, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid in Centella asiatica by HPLC and column chromatography are described. Using this method the asiatic acid and madecassic acid content of three Centella asiatica samples collected in Sontay City, Namdinh province, and in Ho Chi Minh City have been screened. The result showed that the contents of both triterpenic acids are higher in Sontay sample and in each sample the content of madecassic acid is higher than that of asiatic acid. | Vietnam Journal of Chemistry, International Edition, 54(4): 416-418, 2016 DOI: SCREENING FOR THE MAIN TRITERPENIC ACIDS IN CENTELLA ASIATICA SAMPLES FROM NORTH AND SOUTH OF VIETNAM Vo Thi Quynh Nhu1, Tran Thi Phuong Thao2, Tran Van Sung2, Tran Van Loc2* 1 The Gio Linh Upper secondary school, Quangtri province, Vietnam 2 Institute of Chemistry, Vietnam Academy of Science Technology 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam Received 17 June 2016; Accepted for publication 12 August 2016 Abstract The optimal conditions for extraction, hydrolyzation and quantitative determination of the total amounts of two main triterpene acids, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid in Centella asiatica by HPLC and column chromatography are described. Using this method the asiatic acid and madecassic acid content of three Centella asiatica samples collected in Sontay City, Namdinh province, and in Ho Chi Minh City have been screened. The result showed that the contents of both triterpenic acids are higher in Sontay sample and in each sample the content of madecassic acid is higher than that of asiatic acid. Keywords. Centella asiatica, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, quantification. 1. INTRODUCTION Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (syn. Centella. coriacea Nannfd., Hydrocotyle asiatica L.) (fam. Apiaceae) is a tropical medicinal plant, distributed in Southeast Asian countries, India, China, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and South Africa [1, 2]. Its leaves are edible. Vietnamese use the whole plant as vegetable, for making drinks, against fever [3]. In the folk medicine this plant has been used since long time ago for wound healing, memory enhancement effects, treatment of leprosy, as anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, antioxidant [4, 5]. The main active principles in Centella asiatica are triterpenes, triterpene glycosides, flavonoids, sterols and essential oil [6]. In the searching the plant Centella asiatica with high amount of asiatic acid and .
