Other names: Chuan Xin Liang, Fah Tolai, Kalmegh, King Of Bitters, Kiryat
Andrographis is a branched, erect annual plant that grows in forests and wastelands in China, India, Pakistan, and Thailand. Its leaves and stems are harvested in late summer for medicinal use. It is cultivated extensively in China and Thailand, and in the East and West Indies.
USES
Andrographis is an ancient medicinal herb with an extensive history in Asia. It has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory infections, fever, herpes, sore throat, and a variety of other chronic and infectious diseases. In Scandinavian countries, it is commonly used to prevent and treat the common cold. There have been conclusive studies of its use against cancer, AIDS, and a variety of bacterial and viral diseases.
Benefits of andrographis for specific health conditions include the following:
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Atherosclerosis and heart attack. Clinical studies in China have found that andrographis prevents the formation of blood clots and that use of the herb prevents restenosis, or “reclogging,” of arteries after angioplasty. The herb changes the way the linings of blood vessels respond to calcium, helping them to stay open.
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Cancer. It has been shown that if a cancer cell can be made to mature (or differentiate), it will not have the ability to grow out of control. Results of a study have demonstrated that andrographis has potent cell-differentiation-inducing activity on leukemia cells. Moreover, extracts from andrographis leaves are cytotoxic (cell-killing) against cancer cells. Japanese researchers have reported that andrographis stops stomach cancer cells from multiplying. Other studies have found positive results with skin cancer, prostate and breast cancer cells, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.
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Cold, fever, and flu. Andrographis prevents infections with rhinoviruses, the type of viruses most often responsible for the common cold. Taking 200 milligrams a day of an andrographis preparation (marketed as Kan Jang) throughout the cold season reduces the risk of catching a cold by over 50 percent. Andrographis also relieves runny nose, headache, sore muscles, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue, although a dose of 1,200 milligrams or more a day may be needed for this effect. Andrographis has also been used to reduce fever and pain, and for disorders of the intestinal tract.
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Diarrhea and other intestinal disorders. Extracts of andrographis have been shown to have significant effects against the diarrhea associated with E. coli bacterial infections. In one study, chronic inflammation of the colon was treated with a combination of 60 grams of andrographis and 30 grams of rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa), with a cure rate of 72 percent. Twenty-six percent experienced symptomatic relief.
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Hepatitis; liver and gallbladder problems. The primary active ingredient in andrographis, andrographolide, increases bile flow and the levels of bile salts and bile acids. It was found to be more potent than silymarin (an active ingredient in milk thistle), which is used clinically as a hepatoprotective agent. Also, the andrographolides present in andrographis are potent stimulators of gallbladder function, therefore reducing the probability of gallstone formation.
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HIV/AIDS. Andrographis counteracts the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in at least four different ways. Studies at the University of California have shown that a combination of chemicals in the herb keeps the virus from attaching to healthy T cells. This keeps the celIs from becoming infected. Manufacturer-reported studies found the herb also fights HIV in cells once they have become infected. Also a natural protease inhibitor, andrographis is currently being studied for this property. Compounds in the herb make it more difficult for HIV to take over a “control enzyme” in certain T celIs that force the cells to make copies of the virus. This action is the same as the action of the AIDS drug zidovudine (Retrovir, better known as AZT), and taking andrographis makes it possible for doctors to treat AIDS with lower doses of AZT and fewer side effects. Finally, andrographis keeps HIV from activating an “off-switch” that causes uninfected T cells to die. The use of this herb reduces viral load while helping maintain T-cell counts