Andrographis

October 3, 2020

This article provides general nutrition information only and is not medical advice.

Overview

Andrographis is a plant that is native to South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka. The leaf and underground stem are used to make medicine.

Andrographis is used for the common cold, osteoarthritis, immune challenge of the throat and tonsils (tonsillopharyngitis), a type of inflammatory bowel condition (ulcerative colitis), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Classification

Is a Form of:

Plant

Primary Functions:

Common cold, osteoarthritis

Also Known As:

Andrographis paniculata, Andrographolide, Bhunimba

How Does It Work?

Andrographis might work by stimulating the immune system. It might also prevent influenza viruses from binding to cells in the body.

Uses

Common cold. Taking andrographis alone or as part of an herbal combination product seems to improve cough and sore throat in some people with the common cold. Some research also shows that taking a combination product (Kan Jang, Swedish Herbal Institute) containing andrographis and eleuthero improves concerns of the common cold when started within 72 hours of feeling sick. Some concerns can improve after 2 days of nutritional support, but it usually takes 4-5 days of nutritional support before most concerns go away. Some research shows that this combination product relieves cold concerns in children better than echinacea. Also, early research shows that taking an andrographis extract (KalmCold) alone might help support colds. Other research shows that taking andrographis alone for 2 months might help prevent colds.
Osteoarthritis. Some research shows that taking andrographis extract daily seems to reduce pain and stiffness in people with mild or moderate osteoarthritis of the knee.
Immune challenge of the throat and tonsils (tonsillopharyngitis). Some research shows that andrographis 6 grams daily works about as well as acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce fever and pain from tonsillitis.
A type of inflammatory bowel condition (ulcerative colitis). Early research shows that taking andrographis extract daily for 8 weeks reduces concerns of inflammatory bowel condition about as well as the drug mesalamine.

Recommended Dosing

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

For common cold: A specific combination product (Kan Jang, Swedish Herbal Institute) containing andrographis extract, standardized to contain 4-5.6 mg andrographolide, and 400 mg eleuthero has been taken three times daily. A specific andrographis extract (KalmCold) 200 mg daily has been used for 5 days.
For osteoarthritis: Andrographis extract 300 or 600 mg daily for 12 weeks.
For immune challenge of the throat and tonsils (tonsillopharyngitis): Andrographis 3-6 grams daily.
For a type of inflammatory bowel condition (ulcerative colitis): Andrographis extract 1200-1800 mg daily for 8 weeks.

Andrographis Supplements Frequently Asked Questions

What is Andrographis used for?

Andrographis paniculata Wall (family Acanthaceae) is one of the most popular medicinal plants used traditionally for the nutritional support of array of conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high cardiovascular health, ulcer, leprosy, bronchitis, skin conditions, flatulence, colic, influenza, dysentery, dyspepsia and malaria for centuries .

Does Andrographis really work?

Some research shows that this combination product relieves cold concerns in children better than echinacea. Also, early research shows that taking an andrographis extract (KalmCold) alone might help support colds. Other research shows that taking andrographis alone for 2 months might help prevent colds.

How do you take Andrographis?

For treating the common cold: a combination of a specific andrographis extract, standardized to contain 4-5.6 mg andrographolide, plus 400 mg Siberian ginseng (Kan Jang, Swedish Herbal Institute) three times daily. For relieving fever and sore throat in tonsillitis: 3-6 grams daily.

Can you take Andrographis daily?

Dosage and Preparation

There is no single recommended dose of Andrographis. Various doses have been studied in research. ... For the relief of sore throat, a dose of 3-6 grams Andrographis was used daily. And for ulcerative colitis Andrographis extract, 1200-1800 mg was used daily for eight weeks.

Is Andrographis a blood thinner?

Andrographis has been used in combination with other herbs for up to one month. ... Bleeding conditions: Andrographis might slow blood clotting. This might increase the risk of bleeding or bruising in people with bleeding imbalances. Low blood pressure: Research suggests that andrographis might lower blood pressure.

Is Andrographis plant compounds?

Also known as "Indian echinacea," andrographis is a bitter-tasting herb rich in compounds known as andrographolides. These compounds are thought to have joint comfort, plant compounds, and antioxidant properties.

How long can I take Andrographis?

Andrographis is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately, short-term. It also appears to be safe when taken as a specific combination product containing andrographis extract and Siberian ginseng (Kan Jang, Swedish Herbal Institute) for up to 3 months

What are the side effects of Andrographis?

Andrographis can cause side effects such as loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, headache, runny nose, and fatigue. When used in high doses, andrographis might cause swollen lymph glands, serious allergic reactions, elevations of liver enzymes, and other side effects.

How much Andrographis should I take?

There is no single recommended dose of Andrographis. Various doses have been studied in research. For example, in studies examining the effect of the herb on the common cold, a combination product (4-5.6 mg andrographolide, and 400 mg Siberian ginseng) was taken three times daily.

Does Andrographis kill Candida?

Andrographis: “The King of Bitters” is a perfect herb for Candida as it has strong antifungal properties, protects the liver, while also being great for boosting the immune system. This herb is used in the Sanctuary Candida and Parasite Detox designed by me, or is also available online here.

Does Andrographis lower cardiovascular health?

Low cardiovascular health: Research suggests that andrographis might lower cardiovascular health. This has not been seen in humans. In theory, however, andrographis might lower pressure too much if taken by people who already have low cardiovascular health.

What are the health benefits of Andrographis?

Andrographis is most widely used to support cold and flu concerns. Andrographis is also said to act as a natural immune-booster. The herb is also used to support certain other conditions.
...
These include:

Cancer1
Rheumatoid Arthritis2
Anorexia3
Heart condition.
HIV/AIDS.
Liver problems.

Is Andrographis an adaptogen?

Critical analysis of available preclinical and clinical information on Andrographis paniculata extracts and pure andrographolide strongly suggest that they are pharmacologically polyvalent and that they possess adaptogenic properties.

What is the common name of Andrographis paniculata?

Andrographis paniculata, commonly known as creat or green chireta, is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka.

What is the herb Andrographis?

Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) is an herb long used in traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda. Also known as "Indian echinacea," andrographis is a bitter-tasting herb rich in compounds known as andrographolides. These compounds are thought to have joint comfort, plant compounds, and antioxidant properties.

Is Andrographis good for cold and flu?

Take andrographis at the first sign of a cold or flu to help fight concerns including runny nose, coughs, sore throat, headache, earache, fever & fatigue. For immune support, andrographis can be taken at a lower dose before any signs of cold or flu concerns.

Does Andrographis kill parasites?

In addition to being an anti-spirochetal herb, andrographis also has anti-parasitic properties, enhances immune function, protects the heart, is joint comfort and crosses the blood brain barrier, which enables it to access pathogens in the brain.

Clinical Studies

^ a b c d e f Melchior J, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot and phase III study of activity of standardized Andrographis paniculata Herba Nees extract fixed combination (Kan jang) in the nutritional support of uncomplicated upper-respiratory tract immune challenge. Phytomedicine. (2000)
^ a b c Gabrielian ES, et al. A double blind, placebo-controlled study of Andrographis paniculata fixed combination Kan Jang in the nutritional support of acute upper respiratory tract immune challenges including sinusitis. Phytomedicine. (2002)
^ a b Mkrtchyan A, et al. A phase I clinical study of Andrographis paniculata fixed combination Kan Jang versus ginseng and valerian on the semen quality of healthy male subjects. Phytomedicine. (2005)
^ a b Spasov AA, et al. Comparative controlled study of Andrographis paniculata fixed combination, Kan Jang and an Echinacea preparation as adjuvant, in the nutritional support of uncomplicated respiratory condition in children. Phytother Res. (2004)
^ a b Amaryan G, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, pilot clinical trial of ImmunoGuard--a standardized fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata Nees, with Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim, Schizandra chinensis Bail. and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extracts in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever. Phytomedicine. (2003)
^ a b c d e Varma A, Padh H, Shrivastava N. Andrographolide: a new plant-derived antineoplastic entity on horizon. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. (2011)
^ a b c Coon JT, Ernst E. Andrographis paniculata in the nutritional support of upper respiratory tract immune challenges: a systematic review of safety and efficacy. Planta Med. (2004)
^ a b c d e f Saxena RC, et al. A randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical evaluation of extract of Andrographis paniculata (KalmCold) in patients with uncomplicated upper respiratory tract immune challenge. Phytomedicine. (2010)
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^Balachandran P, Govindarajan R. Cancer--an ayurvedic perspective. Pharmacol Res. (2005)
^He CL, et al. Xiang-Qi-Tang and its active components exhibit joint comfort and anticoagulant properties by inhibiting MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways in LPS-treated rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. (2012)
^ a b c d e f g Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds in Andrographis paniculata (Chuanxinlian).
^ a b c d Pholphana N, et al. Changes in the contents of four active diterpenoids at different growth stages in Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees (Chuanxinlian). Chin Med. (2013)
^QUANTITATIVE HPLC ANALYSIS OF ANDROGRAPHOLIDE IN ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA AT TWO DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE CYCLE OF PLANT.
^ a b Smith PL, et al. Bisandrographolide from Andrographis paniculata activates TRPV4 channels. J Biol Chem. (2006)
^Bhaskar Reddy MV, et al. New 2'-oxygenated flavonoids from Andrographis affinis. J Nat Prod. (2003)
^Radhika P, Prasad YR, Lakshmi KR. Flavones from the stem of Andrographis paniculata Nees. Nat Prod Commun. (2010)
^ a b c Joint comfort Activity of New Compounds from Andrographis paniculata by NF-κB Transactivation Inhibition.
^Flavonoids of andrographis paniculata.
^ a b Pholphana N, et al. Determination and variation of three active diterpenoids in Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees. Phytochem Anal. (2004)
^Cheung HY, Cheung CS, Kong CK. Determination of bioactive diterpenoids from Andrographis paniculata by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. J Chromatogr A. (2001)
^ a b Burgos RA, et al. Testicular toxicity assessment of Andrographis paniculata dried extract in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. (1997)
^ a b Vincent F, Duncton MA. TRPV4 agonists and antagonists. Curr Top Med Chem. (2011)
^Ye L, et al. TRPV4 is a regulator of adipose oxidative metabolism, physical strain, and energy homeostasis. Cell. (2012)
^ a b c d e f g h i j k Panossian A, et al. Pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability of andrographolide from Andrographis paniculata fixed combination Kan Jang in rats and human. Phytomedicine. (2000)
^ a b c Ye L, et al. Poor oral bioavailability of a promising anticancer agent andrographolide is due to extensive metabolism and efflux by P-glycoprotein. J Pharm Sci. (2011)
^Xu L, et al. A simple and sensitive HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the determination of andrographolide in human plasma. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. (2009)
^Cui L, et al. Four new andrographolide metabolites in human urine. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). (2004)
^He X, et al. Identification of a rare sulfonic acid metabolite of andrographolide in rats. Drug Metab Dispos. (2003)
^[Studies on the structure of the adduct of andrographolide with sodium hydrogen sulfite (author's transl).
^ a b Pan Y, et al. In vitro modulatory effects of Andrographis paniculata, Centella asiatica and Orthosiphon stamineus on cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19). J Ethnopharmacol. (2011)
^Ismail S, et al. Effects of Andrographis paniculata and Orthosiphon stamineus extracts on the glucuronidation of 4-methylumbelliferone in human UGT isoforms. Molecules. (2010)
^ a b c d e Chao WW, et al. Inhibitory Effects of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Andrographis paniculata on NF-κB Trans-Activation Activity and LPS-Induced Acute Physical strain in Mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. (2011)
^Taub DD. Chemokine-leukocyte interactions. The voodoo that they do so well. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. (1996)
^Zwijnenburg PJ, et al. CXC-chemokines KC and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) synergistically induce leukocyte recruitment to the central nervous system in rats. Immunol Lett. (2003)
^ a b c d Zhang C, Kuroyangi M, Tan BK. Cardiovascular activity of 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide in the anaesthetised rat and isolated right atria. Pharmacol Res. (1998)
^ a b Yoopan N, et al. Cardiovascular effects of 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide and Andrographis paniculata extracts. Planta Med. (2007)
^Lien LM, et al. Mechanisms of Andrographolide-Induced Platelet Apoptosis in Human Platelets: Regulatory Roles of the Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway. Phytother Res. (2013)
^ a b c d e f g h i Kumar RA, et al. Anticancer and immunostimulatory compounds from Andrographis paniculata. J Ethnopharmacol. (2004)
^ a b c d e Calabrese C, et al. A phase I trial of andrographolide in HIV positive patients and normal volunteers. Phytother Res. (2000)
^Leelarasamee A, Trakulsomboon S, Sittisomwong N. Undetectable anti-bacterial activity of Andrographis paniculata (Burma) wall. ex ness. J Med Assoc Thai. (1990)
^ a b c Thamlikitkul V, et al. Efficacy of Andrographis paniculata, Nees for pharyngotonsillitis in adults. J Med Assoc Thai. (1991)
^Cáceres DD, et al. Use of visual analogue scale measurements (VAS) to asses the effectiveness of standardized Andrographis paniculata extract SHA-10 in reducing the concerns of common cold. A randomized double blind-placebo study. Phytomedicine. (1999)
^ a b Burgos RA, et al. Efficacy of an Andrographis paniculata composition for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis concerns: a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clin Rheumatol. (2009)
^ a b c Allan JJ, et al. Reproductive and fertility effects of an extract of Andrographis paniculata in male Wistar rats. Int J Toxicol. (2009)
^ a b Krithika R, Verma R, Shrivastav P. Antioxidative and cytoprotective effects of andrographolide against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Hum Exp Toxicol. (2012)
^Ye JF, et al. Protective mechanism of andrographolide against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice. Biol Pharm Bull. (2011)
^Singh J, Reen RK. In vitro assessment of paracetamol-induced toxicity in the rat Reuber hepatoma H4IIEC3/G(-) cell line competent of xenobiotics metabolism. Toxicol In Vitro. (1999)