Andrographis
Description
Andrographis is the herb of Andrographis paniculata, a flowering plant in the Acanthaceae family. The perennial grows wild in thickets throughout south Asia, although it also may be cultivated. In summer and autumn, clusters of small white flowers appear; it is harvested when the flowers begin to bloom. It is traditionally valued as an herbal remedy in China, where it grows in the Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Jianxi provinces.
In Mandarin, andrographis is called chuan xin lian, Yi jian xi and Lan he lian, which translate directly as "thread-the-heart lotus." The Cantonese term is chyun sam ling, and the Japanese call it senshinren. English common names include green chiretta, heart-thread lotus leaf, and kariyat. Its pharmaceutical names, used to distinguish it as a medicine, are Herba Andrographitis Paniculatae or alternately Folium Andrographis.
General use
Practitioners of Chinese medicine believe that andrographis affects the large intestine, lung, stomach, bladder, and liver meridians, or energy pathways in the body. It is thought to dispel heat (such as that associated with fever or infection) and is used primarily as a broad-spectrum antibiotic and immunostimulant for a variety of bacterial, viral, and parasitic conditions, including influenza, intestinal infections, hepatitis, pneumonia, and infected wounds. Andrographis's medicinal properties are considered very bitter, astringent, cold, dry, and stimulating.
Andrographis is considered most effective for conditions associated with fever, inflammation, and the formation of pus. It clears heat and relieves "fire toxicity" manifest as sores and carbuncles on the skin. It is also applied topically for snakebite and eczema. Under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, it is used as a uterine stimulant and abortive, to bring on miscarriage or treat prolonged pregnancy or retained placenta.
Andrographis can also be used as an inexpensive substitute for another Chinese herb, coptis (huang lian).
Research on andrographis has generally been conducted in China and has focused on pharmacological investigation. Studies indicate that andrographis cultivated in the plains of Shanghai has significant immune stimulating and anti-infective qualities. In vitro, it inhibits the growth of Diplococcus pneumoniae and other bacteria and delays the deterioration of embryonic renal cells caused by a virus.
Major chemical ingredients include andrographan, andrographolide, neoandrographolide, paniculide A, 14-deoxy-11-oxyandrographolide, and beta-sitosterol.
