OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for the rapid detection of the volatile constituents in Centella asiatica. METHODS: HS-SPME-GC/MS was adopted, the chromatographic conditions: column was HP-5 MS fused silica capillary column, carrier gas was high-purity helium (99.999%) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, inlet temperature was 250 ℃ (temperature programmed), split injection, split ratio was 10 ∶ 1. MS conditions: ionization was electrospray ionization source, ionization energy was 80 eV, ion source temperature was 230 ℃, quadrupole temperature was 150 ℃, the transmission line temperature was 280 ℃, electron multiplier voltage was 1 494 V, and scan range was m/z 30-400. Retention index method was combined with peak area normalization method to determine the relative percentage contents of each volatile constituent. RESULTS: Totally 16 volatile constituents were identified from C. asiatica, accounting for 79.22% to the total peak area, the main volatile constituents were (E) -β- farnesene (36.97%), caryophyllene (13.61%),germacrene D(10.95%), α-acoradiene (2.76%) and (-)-alloaromadendrene (2.33%). CONCLUSIONS: The study basically clears the main volatile constituents of C. asiatica, and provides certain scientific basis.