FORMULATION AND EVALAUATION OF HERBAL

ANTI SCAR CREAM

George By
By
George Hershell………

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1.0 Abstract:
Wound healing after dermal injury is an imperfect process, inevitably leading to scar formation as the
skin re-establishes its integrity. The resulting scars have different characteristics to normal skin,
ranging from fine-line asymptomatic scars to problematic scarring including hypertrophic and keloid
scars. Scars appear as a different colour to the surrounding skin and can be flat, stretched, depressed or
raised, manifesting a range of symptoms including inflammation, erythema, dryness and pruritus,
which can result in significant psychosocial impact on patients and their quality of life.
When wounds occur, the chances of a scar forming are greatly increased; scars usually have negative
impact on patient. There are many methodologies such as occlusive dressings, compression therapy,
intralesional corticosteroid injections, radiation therapy, laser therapy, interferon therapy, and topical
silicone gel application, and herbal extracts have been prescribed as the norm.
2.0 Keywords:
 Anti scar Cream
 Formulation
 Evaluation
 Centella asisatica
 Pharmacology of Centella asiatica
3.0 Introduction:
Herbs have an important role in restoring the healing wound process and ameliorating scar. Studies on
C. asiatica have been conducted to improve the outcome of the wound healing process in small wound
types and hypertrophic scar as well as burns, psoriasis, and scleroderma.
Centella asiatica, commonly known as Gotu Kola, kodavan, Indian pennywort and Asiatic pennywort,
is a herbaceous, perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is native to the wetlands in
Asia. It is used as a culinary vegetable and as a medicinal herb.

4.0 Description:
Centella grows in temperate and tropical swampy areas in many regions of the world. The stems are
slender, creeping stolons, green to reddish-green in color, connecting plants to each other. It has long-
stalked, green, rounded apices which have smooth texture with palmately netted veins. The leaves are

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borne on pericladial petioles, around 2 cm (0.79 in). The rootstock consists of rhizomes, growing
vertically down. They are creamish in color and covered with root hairs. The flowers are white
or crimson in color, born in small, rounded bunches (umbels) near the surface of the soil
5.0 Chemistry:
Centella contains pentacyclic triterpenoids, including asiaticoside, brahmoside, asiatic acid, and brahmic
acid (madecassic acid). Other constituents include centellose, centelloside, and madecassoside.
6.0 Preparations:
The C. asiatica preparations used in conventional medicine are applied in an oral and cream form, topical
medication (ointments and powder), in the form of injections (s.c., i.m.) and external or internal
homeopathic preparations
7.0 Composition:
The composition of Centella asiatica has been described to include
 asiaticoside
 centelloside
 madecassoside
 asiatic acid
 volatile oils
 flavonoids
 tannins
 phytosterols
 amino acids
 sugars
 centellin (6-acetoxy-trideca-1,7-dien-4-yn-3-ol)
 asiaticin (p-benzoyloxy methyl-butyl benzoate)

8.0 Mechanism of Action:

 Centella asiatica extract seems to help healing by speeding up skin cell production and collagen
synthesis. It's also antibacterial, and may increase antioxidant activity and blood vessel formation.
Madecassoside prevented UV-induced hyper pigmentation (tanning) in excised human skin in
vitro.

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  Centella asiatica is effective in treatment of wounds, even in infected wounds, as well as burns
and postoperative hypertrophic scars.
 The terpenoids (TTF) cause a significant increase in the percentage of collagen and cell layer
fibronectin. The most beneficial effects are the stimulation of scar maturation by the production of
type I collagen, decrease in the inflammatory reaction and myofibroblast production.
 Madecassoside was active in burn wound healing, through increasing anti oxidative activity and
enhancing collagen synthesis, and influencing angiogenesis.
 Asiaticoside also stimulated angiogenesis so that the increase in tension and elasticity of blood
vessels
 The mechanism of action of asiaticoside is the induction of type I collagen synthesis in human
dermal fibroblast cells by phosphorylation of both Smad 2 and Smad 3, also binding Smad 3 and
Smad 4.
 Centella asiatica herb water extracts also shows the anti-psoriatic activity, exerts a beneficial
effect in treating systemic scleroderma and focal scleroderma.
 C. asiatica has been used as an effective anti-photoaging agent, mainly due to enhancement of type
I collagen, which amount in skin decreases with age.
 The beneficial effect of C. asiatica on improving the condition of skin was due to madecassoside,
a known inducer of collagen expression by activating the SMAD signaling pathway.
 The efficacy of C. asiatica formulation may be affected by the release of active compounds from
the formulation. Te animal (rat) model demonstrated the promoted cellular proliferation and
collagen synthesis effects of the aqueous extract C. asiatica. Te gel formulation provided
significantly better healing outcome than the ointment and cream formulations.

 Herb-drug interactions:
There have been no reports documenting negative interactions between CA and medications.
9.0 Toxicity :
Centella asiatica applied in the recommended doses is not toxic and possible side effects are
rare. Centella asiatica may cause: local allergic reactions and burning, especially when used externally
and subcutaneously.
10.0 Indications:

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  Centella asiatica is one of the most important anti-aging, skin healing, skin tightening and
anti-cellulite actives.
 Centella boosts the production of collagen type I, collagen type III, elastin and hyaluronic acid,
and protect those precious skin molecules from breakdown, while at the same time protecting
tissues from excessive collagen production / fibrosis.
 protect from skin glycation;
 prevent hyper pigmentation;
 protect cells from sun damage;
 Boost skin hydration.
 Improve skin firmness, elasticity.
 Prevent hypertrophic scars.
11.0 Dosage:
 Take sufficient quantity of gotu kola cream and apply 3 times per day for a weak.
 Massage the affected area with a topical cream containing gotu kola extract.
 A cream containing gotu kola, applied to the burns daily, has been used until the burns heal.

12.0 Precautions:
 Products should be stored in a cool, dry place and used before the expiration date on the label.
 No drug interaction has been reported for this plant up to date.

13.0 Conclusion:
 Centella asiatica (Gotu kola) is effective in treatment of wounds, also in infective wounds,
burns, and hypertrophic scar. The active compounds include pentacyclic triterpenes, mainly
asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic and madecassic acids.
 The mechanism of action involves promoting fibroblast proliferation and increasing the
synthesis of collagen as well as acidic mucopolysaccharides, increasing intracellular
fibronectin content and mitotic activity in the germ layer, significantly improving the tensile
strength of newly formed skin as well as by inhibiting the inflammatory phase of hypertrophic
scars and keloids.

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 The use of C. asiatica or its components may be useful in the treatment of psoriasis and
scleroderma.
 Centella asiatica is a common ingredient of cosmetics applied on photoaging skin also in
cellulite and striae
 Centella asiatica is effective in improving treatment of small wounds, hypertrophic wounds as
well as burns, psoriasis and scleroderma.
 Centella asiatica, widely known as “gotu kola,” is a reputed medicinal plant for its
various pharmacological effects favorable for human health.

END OF THE DOCUMENT

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