Centella Asiatica
In plain terms
The plant behind "cica" products. Its soothing, barrier-supporting triterpene compounds make it one of the better-tolerated botanicals for sensitive and irritated skin. Topical use is gentle; the rare liver-related reports you might find are about swallowing gotu kola supplements, not putting cica on your skin.
What the evidence shows
Centella asiatica, also called gotu kola or cica, owes its skin effects to four triterpene compounds (asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, madecassic acid) that support collagen, calm inflammation, and add antioxidant protection. Topically it has a long, well-documented record in wound and scar care, and the European Medicines Agency recognizes a titrated extract for cutaneous use on wounds and burns. The CIR panel assessed the cosmetic ingredients, and in practice cica is one of the gentler botanicals, a common pick for sensitive, reactive, and post-procedure skin. Two honest footnotes. Contact allergy to centella has been reported, though it is uncommon. And gotu kola taken by mouth as a supplement carries scattered reports of liver irritation, which is a swallowed-supplement issue at supplement doses, not something tied to topical skincare. For the cica products people put on their skin, it is a well-tolerated soother with real wound-healing support behind it.
On the label
Listed as centella asiatica, cica, or by its actives madecassoside and asiaticoside. For skincare this is a gentle, reliable soothing ingredient. The liver-related cautions you may read apply to oral gotu kola supplements, not to topical cica.