Nutritional and neutraceutical attributes of Centella asiatica, an underutilized medicinal green for North East India

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., commonly known as Gotu kola, is an important medicinal herb extensively used in traditional systems of medicine as a memory-enhancing and health-promoting plant. In addition to its therapeutic importance, C. asiatica is a nutritionally rich green leafy vegetable, traditionally consumed in various culinary forms across India and other Asian countries, and holds strong potential for integration into nutraceutical-oriented farming systems in North East India. The nutritional significance of C. asiatica is largely attributed to its high content of carotenoids, Vitamin C, and essential minerals. The present investigation aimed to evaluate the nutritional variability among thirteen accessions of C. asiatica collected from diverse agro-ecological regions of India. The accessions were established and evaluated at ICAR–IIHR over three consecutive years under a randomized block design. Nutritional profiling was performed for total carotenoids, Vitamin C, and major and trace minerals. Vitamin C was estimated using a volumetric method, total carotenoids by spectrophotometry, and mineral elements using flame photometry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Significant variation was observed among the accessions for all nutritional parameters studied. Accession IIHR-CA-19 recorded the highest total carotenoid content (117.57 mg/100 g DW). IIHR-CA-28 exhibited superior macro-mineral concentrations, particularly calcium (1.34%) and magnesium (0.92%), along with elevated levels of micro-minerals such as iron (490 ppm), copper (25.2 ppm), and manganese (100.10 ppm). The highest vitamin C content was observed in IIHR-CA-16 (85.26 mg/100g FW), comparable to that of citrus fruits. The study identified nutritionally elite genotypes of C. asiatica, highlighting its potential as a nutraceutical leafy crop.