Medicinal Foodstuffs. XXVI. Inhibitors of Aldose Reductase and New Triterpene and Its Oligoglycoside, Centellasapogenol A and Centellasaponin A, from Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola)

The methanolic extract from the aerial parts of Centella asiatica L. cultivated in Vietnam was found to inhibit rat lens aldose reductase.From the methanolic extract, a new olean-13-ene-type triterpene, centellasapogenol A, and its oligoglycoside, centellasaponin A, were isolated together with several known saponins and flavonoids.Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.In addition, a flavonol component, petuletin, was found to show potent inhibitory activity on aldose reductase.The Umbelliferae plant Centella (C.) asiatica L. URBAN (common name, Gotu Kola) has been widely cultivated as a vegetable or spice in China, Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, and Oceanic countries.The whole plants or aerial parts of C. asiatica has been also used to prompt bladder activity and for the treatment of physical and mental exhaustion, diabetes, eye