Research Gist
This study examined how Centella asiatica affects neural signalling in rats exposed to chronic stress. Sustained stress is known to suppress BDNF, a protein that supports neuron growth and maintenance, particularly in the hippocampus. Rats treated with the extract showed increased BDNF signalling compared with stressed untreated animals. The effect extended through the connected TrkB and ERK1/2 pathways, which relay BDNF's signal inside the cell. The findings provide a molecular basis for Gotu Kola's traditional classification as a nervine and rejuvenative herb.
Key Learnings
- BDNF signalling increased in the hippocampus of treated animals.
- The connected TrkB and ERK1/2 pathways were also affected.
- Chronic stress normally suppresses BDNF — the extract counteracted this.
- The findings offer a molecular basis for the herb's traditional nervine classification.
- This was a rat study examining stress, not a Parkinson's model.