TECA at a Glance
| Property | Classic TECA |
|---|---|
| Full name | Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica |
| Commercial names | Madecassol® (SERDEX), Blastoestimulina® |
| Components | Asiaticoside (40%), asiatic acid (30%), madecassic acid (30%) |
| Number of defined compounds | Three — one glycoside + two aglycones |
| Madecassoside included? | No (absent in classic TECA; included in some later redefinitions) |
| Equivalent acronyms | TTFCA (Total Triterpenoid Fraction of Centella Asiatica), TTF (Total Triterpenic Fraction) |
| Primary use in literature | Wound healing, venous insufficiency, scar management clinical trials (European market) |
TECA is the standardized preparation of Centella asiatica that appears most frequently in the clinical research literature. If you have read published studies on Centella and skin repair, venous insufficiency, or scar management, you have almost certainly encountered this acronym. Understanding what TECA actually contains — and what it does not — is necessary for any formulator or procurement manager trying to connect published research to a current commercial ingredient specification.
What “Titrated” Means in This Context
“Titrated” in botanical extraction does not refer to the acid-base titration procedure familiar from analytical chemistry. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, a titrated extract is one whose active-compound content has been adjusted to a defined, reproducible ratio. The crude plant extract is fractionated, purified, and reconstituted so that the final product meets a fixed compositional specification batch after batch.
For TECA, this means the raw C. asiatica extract — which naturally contains varying levels of all four marker triterpenes plus dozens of minor metabolites — is processed into a three-component mixture at a fixed ratio. The “titration” is the standardization step, not the extraction itself.
The Classic Three-Component Ratio
The original TECA formulation, commercialized by SERDEX as Madecassol® and used in the majority of European clinical studies, contains 40% asiaticoside, 30% asiatic acid, and 30% madecassic acid.[1] The European Medicines Agency assessment report confirms that TECA, TTFCA, and TTF all describe preparations containing 40% asiaticoside and 60% aglycones (asiatic acid + madecassic acid), despite using different acronyms.[2]
The critical detail that most secondary sources gloss over: classic TECA does not contain madecassoside. It contains one glycoside (asiaticoside) and two aglycones (asiatic acid and madecassic acid). Madecassoside — the most abundant triterpene in the raw plant and the compound most associated with NF-κB anti-inflammatory activity — is removed during the purification and reconstitution process.
This omission is not accidental. TECA was developed in the 1960s–70s as a wound-healing pharmaceutical, and the three selected compounds were the ones for which the strongest individual activity data existed at the time. Madecassoside’s distinct anti-inflammatory profile was characterized in detail only in later decades of research.
The Definition Problem: Three Components or Four?
Some post-2010 publications redefine TECA as a four-component mixture including madecassoside. An et al. (2012) described TECA as “a reconstituted mixture comprising of asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside.”[3] Other papers give different internal ratios — one source lists asiatic acid at 30%, madecassic acid at 40%, and asiaticoside at 30%, reversing the acid balance from the EMA-confirmed specification.
This inconsistency is not a disagreement about chemistry — it reflects different researchers using the term “TECA” to describe different preparations. Some reconstitute the classic three-component pharmaceutical formulation; others prepare their own four-component mixtures from purified standards and call the result “TECA” by convention.
Reading TECA Research: Which Compound Is Driving the Result?
The Maquart et al. wound-chamber study — one of the most cited TECA papers — tested the complete three-component mixture and each purified component separately in a rat model. All three components stimulated extracellular matrix accumulation, but with measurable differences: asiaticoside showed preferential stimulation of collagen synthesis at low doses, while all three components stimulated glycosaminoglycan synthesis.[1]
For formulators interpreting TECA-based literature, the practical framework is:
- Collagen synthesis, fibroblast proliferation, firmness endpoints — the mechanism literature attributes this primarily to asiaticoside (via TβRI-independent Smad pathway) and, for type III collagen specifically, to madecassoside. If the study used classic TECA (no madecassoside), the collagen response is attributable to asiaticoside and the aglycones[4]
- Anti-inflammatory endpoints (NF-κB, COX-2, cytokine suppression) — the mechanism literature attributes this primarily to madecassoside. If the study used classic three-component TECA, the anti-inflammatory response came from the aglycones (madecassic acid in particular), not from the madecassoside pathway. Studies using four-component TECA may include madecassoside contribution[5]
- Wound-closure speed — in the only direct head-to-head comparison, both glycosides contributed, but madecassoside was statistically superior. Classic TECA studies showing wound-healing benefits did so without madecassoside, suggesting the aglycone fraction carries meaningful wound-repair activity independent of the glycoside pathway[4]
From TECA to Modern Standardized Grades
TECA was designed as a fixed-ratio pharmaceutical preparation. Modern commercial Centella ingredients have moved toward single-compound standardization by HPLC, which gives formulators more precise control over which pathway the active targets.
| Specification Approach | Composition | What It Favors |
|---|---|---|
| Classic TECA (40/30/30) | Asiaticoside + asiatic acid + madecassic acid | Broad ECM stimulation; glycoside + aglycone synergy; no madecassoside NF-κB contribution |
| Total Centella Glycosides 80% | Asiaticoside + madecassoside (both glycosides, HPLC-verified) | Broadest glycoside coverage; both collagen and anti-inflammatory pathways; water-soluble |
| Asiaticoside 90% | Single glycoside, HPLC-standardized | Collagen type I pathway; poorly water-soluble (~0.1 mg/mL), moderately soluble in ethanol (~5 mg/mL) — requires co-solvent pre-dissolution; closest to TECA’s glycoside component in isolation |
| Madecassoside 90% | Single glycoside, HPLC-standardized | NF-κB anti-inflammatory pathway; water-soluble; the compound TECA does not contain |
The shift from TECA-style fixed ratios to single-compound HPLC standardization reflects how the research has evolved. In the 1990s, the best available evidence supported a multi-component mixture. Today, the mechanism-level data on individual compounds — particularly the Wu et al. head-to-head study showing that glycosides are the active wound-healing constituents and that madecassoside outperforms asiaticoside for type III collagen[4] — makes it possible to select the specific compound matching a formulation’s target pathway, rather than relying on a fixed historical ratio.
For grade-by-grade specifications and sourcing, see Valeherb’s Centella asiatica extract product page. For a detailed comparison of the two glycosides, see Asiaticoside vs Madecassoside. For a deep dive on madecassoside’s mechanism and research profile, see What Is Madecassoside?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TECA stand for?
TECA stands for Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica. It is a standardized pharmaceutical preparation containing asiaticoside (40%), asiatic acid (30%), and madecassic acid (30%). The term “titrated” means the crude extract has been purified and reconstituted to a fixed, reproducible compound ratio. TECA is also known by the brand names Madecassol® and Blastoestimulina® in European markets. The synonyms TTFCA and TTF describe essentially the same preparation.
Does TECA contain madecassoside?
The classic TECA formulation does not — it contains asiaticoside (the glycoside) plus asiatic acid and madecassic acid (the two aglycones). However, some post-2010 researchers have expanded the term to include madecassoside as a fourth component. When reading TECA-based studies, check the materials-and-methods section for the actual compound list and ratio, because the acronym alone does not guarantee a consistent composition.
Is TECA the same as Centella asiatica extract?
No. TECA is a specific standardized preparation with a defined three-component ratio. A generic “Centella asiatica extract” can contain all four marker triterpenes plus other plant metabolites, with ratios that vary widely by plant source, extraction method, and processing. TECA’s standardization is what made it suitable for pharmaceutical use and reproducible clinical research — but it represents only one possible specification, not the full range of commercially available Centella grades.
Should I use TECA or single-compound standardized grades?
It depends on your formulation goal. TECA’s fixed ratio provides broad ECM stimulation from a glycoside-plus-aglycone combination, but it omits madecassoside entirely. Modern single-compound grades (asiaticoside 90%, madecassoside 90%) allow you to target a specific pathway — collagen type I or NF-κB anti-inflammatory — with HPLC-verified consistency. A total glycosides 80% grade offers the broadest glycoside coverage including both asiaticoside and madecassoside, which TECA does not provide.
References
[1] Maquart FX, Chastang F, Simeon A, Birembaut P, Gillery P, Wegrowski Y. Triterpenes from Centella asiatica stimulate extracellular matrix accumulation in rat experimental wounds. Eur J Dermatol. 1999;9(4):289–296. PubMed 10356407
[2] European Medicines Agency. Assessment report on Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, herba. EMA/HMPC/291177/2009. EMA document
[3] An IS, An S, Kang SM, et al. Titrated extract of Centella asiatica provides a UVB protective effect by altering microRNA expression profiles in human dermal fibroblasts. Int J Mol Med. 2012;30(5):1194–1202. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2012.1117
[4] Wu F, Bian D, Xia Y, et al. Identification of major active ingredients responsible for burn wound healing of Centella asiatica herbs. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:848093. doi:10.1155/2012/848093
[5] Sasmita AO, Ling APK, Voon KGL, Koh RY, Wong YP. Madecassoside activates anti-neuroinflammatory mechanisms by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial inflammation. Int J Mol Med. 2018;41(5):3033–3040. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2018.3479
