Centella asiatica and the cica triterpenes
Madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid are the four markers behind every cica product. What they do, and what the concentrations here actually support.
The plant and its markers
Centella asiatica is a wetland herb with a long history in traditional wound care. Its activity is attributed to four triterpenes: the glycosides madecassoside and asiaticoside, and their corresponding aglycones madecassic acid and asiatic acid. Extracts are standardised to these markers, and "cica" as a category name derives from Centella.
What the triterpenes do
The best-supported effects are on wound healing and inflammation. Asiaticoside has been shown to influence collagen synthesis and fibroblast activity, with TGF-beta signalling implicated. Madecassoside has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and some collagen I evidence. Clinically this translates into a soothing, barrier-supporting profile rather than a resurfacing or pigment-directed one, which is why cica products are positioned for sensitised, compromised or post-procedure skin.
Concentrations, stated honestly
This is the point at which a reference page has to be careful. In the Youlief range the Centella extract itself is present at up to 0.00751% (75 ppm), while the individual marker triterpenes are listed at 3 ppm (madecassoside), 2 ppm (asiaticoside) and 0.2 ppm each (asiatic and madecassic acid).
Those triterpene figures are almost certainly the marker content of the extract rather than separate additions — which is normal and not deceptive. But it does mean the honest claim rests on the extract at 75 ppm, and that is a low inclusion. Published work on Centella extracts in skin generally uses considerably more.
By contrast, Vegalab's Hyaluronic Skin Repair states Centella asiatica at 38.7%, which is an entirely different proposition and a genuine differentiator. The same ingredient name across two products can mean two completely different things, and that is exactly what a reference page should make visible.
What does centella asiatica and the cica triterpenes not do?
Centella is not an anti-aging active in the retinoid sense, not a pigmentation treatment, and not a substitute for clinical care of a damaged barrier or an inflammatory skin condition.
References
- Madecassoside isolated from Centella asiatica herbs facilitates burn wound healing in mice
- Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by a triterpene extracted from Centella asiatica
- A Prospective Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Trial of the Efficacy Using Centella Cream for Scar Improvement