Although it originated in tropical Asia (Lorenzi 1991), Centella asiatica is a cosmopolitan
member of the subfamily Hydrocotyloideae (Hamal and Koul 1989), with predominance in the
southern hemisphere (Das and Mallick 1991). In Brazil, the plant is preferentially found along
the coast of the Southern Region, where it is considered to be a weed (Lorenzi 1991).
This species has an enormous medicinal potential because of the asiaticoside present in its
leaves. This glycoside has been widely used in India and Pakistan for the treatment of venous
insufficiency and skin ulcerations, including those caused by leprosy (Bailey 1945,Boiteau et al.
1949, Viala et al. 1977, Tenailleau 1978, Paris and Hurabielle 1980, Pointeau et al. 1987). In
India, C. asiatica is still used as food (Sharma and Bhattacharyya 1959).
In Brazil, although C. asiatica occurs spontaneously, all phytotherapeutic agents used for
drug manufacturing are imported. Brazilian specimens have been little studied and no
cytogenetic investigation has been carried out on them. During a study conducted in order to
evaluate the meiotic behavior of different C. asiatica populations from the Southern Region of
the country, we observed that one of them presented typical chromosome stickiness.
Although it originated in tropical Asia (Lorenzi 1991), Centella asiatica is a cosmopolitanmember of the subfamily Hydrocotyloideae (Hamal and Koul 1989), with predominance in thesouthern hemisphere (Das and Mallick 1991). In Brazil, the plant is preferentially found alongthe coast of the Southern Region, where it is considered to be a weed (Lorenzi 1991).This species has an enormous medicinal potential because of the asiaticoside present in itsleaves. This glycoside has been widely used in India and Pakistan for the treatment of venousinsufficiency and skin ulcerations, including those caused by leprosy (Bailey 1945,Boiteau et al.1949, Viala et al. 1977, Tenailleau 1978, Paris and Hurabielle 1980, Pointeau et al. 1987). InIndia, C. asiatica is still used as food (Sharma and Bhattacharyya 1959).In Brazil, although C. asiatica occurs spontaneously, all phytotherapeutic agents used fordrug manufacturing are imported. Brazilian specimens have been little studied and nocytogenetic investigation has been carried out on them. During a study conducted in order toevaluate the meiotic behavior of different C. asiatica populations from the Southern Region ofthe country, we observed that one of them presented typical chromosome stickiness.
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