Centellosides: pharmaceutical applications and production enhancement strategies

Demand for naturally-derived compounds is growing steadily, owing to a broad spectrum of medicinal benefits posed by them. Triterpenoid centellosides, obtained from Centella asiatica, is being utilized as an important component in a variety of products such as pharmaceutics. Centellosides possess various therapeutic properties like antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, wound healing, neuroprotective properties, etc. However, C. asiatica is reportedly undergoing rapid depletion and is endangered due to the increasing demand of this plant for its secondary metabolites. Apart from this cultivation of C. asiatica needs a long time period, along with extensive labour for controlling the quality despite the unfavourable environmental conditions. Therefore, a substitute method is required for its cultivation and improved production of centellosides. For biosynthesis of centellosides at higher levels, various biotechnological methods have now been established, such as shoot culture, callus and cell suspension culture and hairy root culture. Further, many more strategies like use of elicitors and precursors for enhanced production as well as bioreactors for commercial scaling have also been incorporated. This review thus provides an understanding of biological applications of centellosides, biotechnological approaches as well as biotechnological improvements for its increased production. Information about various biotechnological approaches has also been collected after an extensive literature study. Centellosides are important bioactive compounds from Centella asiatica which possess various therapeutic properties like antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, wound healing, neuroprotective properties, etc. For biosynthesis of centellosides at higher levels, various biotechnological methods have been established, such as shoot culture, callus and cell suspension culture, and hairy root culture. This review provides an understanding of biological applications of centellosides, biotechnological approaches as well as biotechnological improvements for its increased production.