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Topical cosmetic ingredient — not a dietary supplement
Centella Asiatica (Cica) is a topical cosmetic ingredient, not a supplement you take internally and not a drug. It is sold legally in skincare products to affect the appearance of skin (such as wrinkles). The evidence below comes mostly from small, often industry-funded studies of topical application, so treat the effect sizes cautiously. This page is for transparency and education, not a recommendation.
What the evidence says
Most Centella Asiatica (Cica) studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from mixed-quality randomised trials published 1996–2026 with a typical study size of 20 participants.
Based on 7 studies · 2 RCTs · 81 total participants
Confidence
LowBy outcome
Centella Asiatica (Cica) has an evidence score of 5/10 — moderate evidence based on 7 indexed studies. A viral 'cica' botanical applied to the skin for soothing, barrier repair, wound healing, and anti-aging — a topical cosmetic, not (in this context) the oral gotu kola supplement. Centella asiatica's active triterpenes (madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic/madecassic acid) stimulate collagen and calm inflammation. The honest framing: the best human evidence is for wound healing and post-procedure soothing; the anti-aging signal rests on a single small (n=20) trial that combined madecassoside with vitamin C, scar/stretch-mark evidence is weak, and much of the mechanism is in-vitro/animal. Contact allergy is uncommon but documented. A genuinely promising, well-tolerated soothing botanical with moderate, still-maturing evidence. Representative study: PMID 35328954.
The commonly studied dose of Centella Asiatica (Cica) is Topical cosmetic only. Centella/cica is used in serums, creams, and balms (often standardized to madecassoside/asiaticoside) applied to clean skin once or twice daily, popular for soothing and post-procedure care. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose in this cosmetic context — oral gotu kola is separate. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.. Individual needs vary — start at the lower end of the range and adjust based on how you respond.
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Last reviewed June 2026 · evidence from 7 studies · how we score
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication.
Centella Asiatica / Cica (topical)
A viral 'cica' botanical applied to the skin for soothing, barrier repair, wound healing, and anti-aging — a topical cosmetic, not (in this context) the oral gotu kola supplement. Centella asiatica's active triterpenes (madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic/madecassic acid) stimulate collagen and calm inflammation. The honest framing: the best human evidence is for wound healing and post-procedure soothing; the anti-aging signal rests on a single small (n=20) trial that combined madecassoside with vitamin C, scar/stretch-mark evidence is weak, and much of the mechanism is in-vitro/animal. Contact allergy is uncommon but documented. A genuinely promising, well-tolerated soothing botanical with moderate, still-maturing evidence.
A coherent, convergent mechanism (collagen/FGF/VEGF stimulation, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory) with genuine human signals for wound healing and post-procedure soothing, plus one small randomized anti-aging trial — but the anti-aging and scar evidence is small, single-study, and combination-based, the wound-healing systematic review found only four poolable trials, and contact allergy is documented.
Centella asiatica — marketed as 'cica' (or 'tiger grass') — is a plant whose topical extracts are standardized to triterpene actives: madecassoside, asiaticoside, and asiatic/madecassic acid. This entry covers TOPICAL cosmetic use; oral gotu kola is a separate ingested supplement.
Mechanistically the story is coherent and convergent: centella triterpenes stimulate collagen I synthesis and fibroblast/angiogenic factors (FGF, VEGF), have antioxidant (Nrf2/HO-1) and anti-inflammatory (NF-κB-suppressing) activity, and in vitro protect dermal fibroblasts from UVB damage.
The human evidence is moderate and strongest for healing/soothing.
Its most-cited anti-aging trial (Haftek et al., 2008) was a randomized double-blind study (n=20) in which 5% vitamin C + 0.1% madecassoside for 6 months significantly improved wrinkles, firmness, suppleness, and hydration with histologic elastic-fibre remodeling — but madecassoside was co-formulated with vitamin C and n was small, so its independent effect isn't isolated.
A 2025 RCT (n=60) found a madecassoside-containing balm gave post-cryotherapy wound healing equivalent to a topical antibiotic, with 100% of patients reporting improvement — again as part of a multi-ingredient balm.
A 2022 PRISMA systematic review of centella for wound healing found only four eligible clinical trials and could not pool them, concluding more studies are needed.
The honest counter-evidence: a review of striae (stretch-mark) prevention rated centella's evidence as merely 'limited,' and a case report confirms centella is a (weak) contact sensitizer.
So the honest summary: topical centella is a popular, well-tolerated soothing/barrier botanical with a sound mechanism and genuine — if small and often combination-based — human support for healing and soothing; its anti-aging and scar claims are promising but preliminary. None of this is a health claim.
It is listed under Beauty & Appearance so it is discoverable, but is sandboxed out of ingestible-supplement stacks and the schedule optimizer; it carries a cosmetic badge and a topical-only disclaimer.
Centella's triterpenes (madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic/madecassic acid) stimulate collagen I synthesis and fibroblast/angiogenic factors (FGF, VEGF) involved in tissue repair and dermal remodeling — the basis for its wound-healing and anti-aging rationale.
Centella has antioxidant (Nrf2/HO-1) and anti-inflammatory (NF-κB-suppressing) activity and protects dermal fibroblasts from UVB damage in vitro. This underlies its 'cica' reputation for calming irritation, redness, and sensitive or post-procedure skin.
Topical cosmetic only. Centella/cica is used in serums, creams, and balms (often standardized to madecassoside/asiaticoside) applied to clean skin once or twice daily, popular for soothing and post-procedure care. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose in this cosmetic context — oral gotu kola is separate. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.
| Form | Type |
|---|---|
| 🧴Leave-on serum, cream, or balm standardized to centella triterpenes | Recommended |
| 💊Cica barrier/repair balms | Alternative |
| 💊Madecassoside-focused serums | Alternative |
There is no oral or injectable cosmetic form here. Oral gotu kola is a separate, ingested supplement.
Minimum: 4 weeks
Optimal: 12 weeks
Cycling: Not required
Note: Applied to clean skin once or twice daily. As a leave-on cosmetic there is no ingestion or meal-timing consideration.
This entry covers topical centella/cica. Its documented benefits are soothing, barrier support, and (preliminarily) anti-aging; it is not the ingested gotu kola supplement and does not treat any disease.
Calms redness and irritation and supports the skin barrier — the best-supported use, popular for sensitive, reactive, and post-procedure skin.
Human trials support faster/equivalent wound healing (e.g. post-cryotherapy), consistent with its collagen/angiogenic mechanism — though often in combination balms.
One small randomized trial showed improved wrinkles/firmness, but with co-formulated vitamin C and only 20 subjects — promising but not yet established for centella alone.
Centella is a documented (weak) contact sensitizer; allergic contact dermatitis is uncommon but possible. Patch-test, especially on sensitive skin.
Topical centella has limited pregnancy-specific data but minimal absorption is expected; discuss your routine with a clinician.
Often chosen for sensitivity and usually soothing; still patch-test given the documented (uncommon) allergy risk.
Manage expectations — centella's best evidence is for soothing/healing; anti-aging support is preliminary (one small combination trial).
Centella is generally soothing and layers well, often used to buffer irritating actives; combining many actives can still irritate sensitive skin. Not a systemic interaction — it is not ingested here.
Tip: Centella is a documented weak sensitizer; patch-test before facial use and discontinue if a reaction occurs.
Tip: Reduce frequency or switch product if irritation occurs.
Timing is flexible for Centella Asiatica (Cica) — consistent daily use matters more than the time of day. Topical centella is a leave-on soothing botanical with no meal-timing relationship; it is applied as the product directs, often AM and PM.
Centella Asiatica (Cica) is generally well-tolerated and considered safe for most healthy adults at recommended doses. The most commonly reported side effects are allergic contact dermatitis, mild local irritation. Use caution if any of these apply to you: For topical (skin) use only — not for ingestion in this context; Known allergy/sensitivity to centella or its triterpenes; Application to broken or irritated skin if it causes stinging, until healed.