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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 9 No. 2 September-December 2011 93

Abstract
Asiatic Pennywort (Buabok) – Herb of the Year
Anchalee Chuthaputti
Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine,
Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000
Asiatic pennywort or “Buabok” in Thai (Centella asiatica) was voted as “Herb of the Year” by the partici-
th
pants at the 8 National Conference on Thai Traditional Medicine, Thai Indigenous Medicine and Alternative
th
Medicine in the 8 National Herbs Exposition held from August 31 to September 4, 2011 at the IMPACT
Convention and Exhibition Center. This herb was selected because it is a common herb that is easy to find and
cheap, but very useful in various aspects of health. Hence it has been included in the National List of Essential
Medicine as a cream for external use and as capsules and tea bags for infusion for oral use. This review
presents information from research reports on this herb, especially on its pharmacological activities that sup-
port therapeutic claims in order to further increase the use of herbal medicines made from this herb.
Key words: Asiatic pennywort, Centella asiatica, buabok, hydrocotyle