Home > Herbs > Andrographis Paniculata

King of bitter

Andrographis paniculata · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1177 studies) · ★★★★★

King of bitter, scientifically known as Andrographis paniculata, is a versatile medicinal herb widely used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Renowned for its intense bitterness, it possesses potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immune-boosting properties, making it a powerful natural remedy for treating respiratory infections, fever, and various inflammatory conditions.

Family
Acanthaceae
Native range
Asia-Temperate
Parts used
Leaf · Stem
Common names
Creat · Green Chireta · 1 more
Scientific synonyms
Andrographis Paniculata Var. Glandulosa · Justicia Latebrosa · 1 more

Names

Common Names

Regional and Traditional Names

Spanish:

  • Andrographis

German:

  • Kalmegh
  • Kalmegh

French:

  • roi des amers

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Andrographis paniculata

Synonyms

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Andrographis paniculata, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Acanthaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Andrographis.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Lamiales WCVP
Family Acanthaceae WCVP
Genus Andrographis WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. Within China, it can be found specifically in the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. Its range also extends significantly into the Indian Subcontinent. In this region, the species is documented to grow in Assam and throughout Bangladesh. Together, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where the plant thrives.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
China Hainan WCVP
China China Southeast WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Assam WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Bangladesh WCVP
Indian Subcontinent India WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Nepal WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Sri Lanka WCVP
Indian Subcontinent West Himalaya WCVP
Indo-China Andaman Is. WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, commonly known as King of Bitters, is a versatile medicinal herb where multiple components hold therapeutic value. The most frequently utilized portion is the aerial parts, which encompass the stems and the foliage. Specifically, the green leaves are highly valued in traditional medicine, and even a single leaf can contain significant concentrations of bioactive andrographolides. While the whole plant is often harvested and dried for various preparations, the roots also contribute to the plant's medicinal profile, though they are used less commonly than the above-ground structures.
Plant Part Sources Consensus
leaf Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 34 sources) ★★★★★
stem Plant biotechnology journal (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
root Applied biochemistry and biotechnology (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
rhizome Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Andrographis paniculata has 181 reported phytochemicals identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Andrographolide, Neoandrographolide, 14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, 14-deoxyandrographolide, Flavonoids.

Chemicals reported in Andrographis paniculata
Chemical Supporting sources Consensus
Andrographolide 107 supporting sources ★★★★★
Neoandrographolide 32 supporting sources ★★★★★
14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide 17 supporting sources ★★★★★
14-deoxyandrographolide 15 supporting sources ★★★★★
Flavonoids 13 supporting sources ★★★★★
Dehydroandrographolide 7 supporting sources ★★★★☆
andrograpanin 7 supporting sources ★★★★☆
polyphenols 5 supporting sources ★★★☆☆
CHLOROPHYLL 4 supporting sources ★★☆☆☆
Saponins 4 supporting sources ★★☆☆☆

Andrographolide

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
  4. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
  5. PloS one
View 102 additional sources
  1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  2. International journal of molecular sciences
  3. Functional plant biology : FPB
  4. Frontiers in genetics
  5. Biochemical and biophysical research communications
  6. Indian journal of experimental biology
  7. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  8. Toxicology and applied pharmacology
  9. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology
  10. Phytochemistry
  11. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
  12. Critical reviews in biotechnology
  13. Genes & cancer
  14. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
  15. Talanta
  16. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  17. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  18. Heliyon
  19. Journal of natural medicines
  20. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
  21. Scientific reports
  22. Cellular and molecular neurobiology
  23. Molecular informatics
  24. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  25. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  26. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  27. European journal of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics
  28. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
  29. Protoplasma
  30. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  31. Plant biotechnology journal
  32. Natural product research
  33. Chinese herbal medicines
  34. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
  35. Bioscience reports
  36. Natural product communications
  37. Current issues in molecular biology
  38. European journal of medicinal chemistry
  39. Journal of chromatographic science
  40. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology
  41. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  42. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  43. Carcinogenesis
  44. 3 Biotech
  45. AAPS PharmSciTech
  46. Frontiers in immunology
  47. BMC genomics
  48. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  49. Expert opinion on therapeutic patents
  50. Molecular medicine reports
  51. Molecular biology reports
  52. Biochemical pharmacology
  53. Environmental toxicology
  54. BMC plant biology
  55. Radiation research
  56. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
  57. Drug metabolism letters
  58. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
  59. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  60. Pharmacognosy research
  61. Physiologia plantarum
  62. Genes
  63. CNS drugs
  64. Drug design, development and therapy
  65. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  66. Planta medica
  67. Drug delivery
  68. The Biochemical journal
  69. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  70. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
  71. Frontiers in chemistry
  72. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  73. Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao
  74. The Journal of biological chemistry
  75. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry
  76. Oncotarget
  77. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  78. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
  79. Journal of natural products
  80. Frontiers in plant science
  81. Pharmaceutical biology
  82. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V
  83. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
  84. Antiviral research
  85. British journal of pharmacology
  86. Journal of separation science
  87. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)
  88. Frontiers in nutrition
  89. Frontiers in pharmacology
  90. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
  91. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry
  92. Breast cancer research and treatment
  93. Veterinary world
  94. European journal of pharmacology
  95. Plant physiology
  96. Chinese medicine
  97. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology
  98. Ayu
  99. International microbiology : the official journal of the Spanish Society for Microbiology
  100. Toxicology reports
  101. Journal of biomedical science
  102. Folia microbiologica

Neoandrographolide

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Functional plant biology : FPB
  3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  4. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology
  5. Heliyon
View 27 additional sources
  1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  2. Molecular informatics
  3. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  4. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  5. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  6. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  7. Natural product research
  8. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  9. Journal of chromatographic science
  10. BMC genomics
  11. International journal of molecular sciences
  12. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
  13. Molecular biology reports
  14. BMC plant biology
  15. Radiation research
  16. Planta medica
  17. The Biochemical journal
  18. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  19. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  20. PloS one
  21. ACS omega
  22. The Journal of biological chemistry
  23. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  24. Protoplasma
  25. Chinese medicine
  26. Ayu
  27. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide

  1. Journal of natural products
  2. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology
  3. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  4. Natural product research
  5. BMC genomics
View 12 additional sources
  1. Molecular biology reports
  2. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
  3. Planta medica
  4. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  5. PloS one
  6. The Journal of biological chemistry
  7. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  8. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  9. Biologia
  10. Chinese medicine
  11. Ayu
  12. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

14-deoxyandrographolide

  1. Functional plant biology : FPB
  2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  3. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology
  4. Heliyon
  5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
View 10 additional sources
  1. Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
  2. Environmental research
  3. International journal of molecular sciences
  4. Physiologia plantarum
  5. Genes
  6. Planta medica
  7. Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao
  8. Frontiers in plant science
  9. Plant physiology
  10. Chinese medicine

Flavonoids

  1. Journal of Asian natural products research
  2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  3. TheScientificWorldJournal
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Journal of ethnopharmacology
View 8 additional sources
  1. Phytochemistry
  2. Environmental research
  3. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
  4. International journal of medicinal chemistry
  5. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  6. International journal of molecular sciences
  7. Frontiers in plant science
  8. Chinese medicine

Dehydroandrographolide

  1. Talanta
  2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  3. Oncotarget
  4. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  5. International journal of molecular sciences
View 2 additional sources
  1. Physiologia plantarum
  2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

andrograpanin

  1. Functional plant biology : FPB
  2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  3. Journal of chromatographic science
  4. The Journal of biological chemistry
  5. Biotechnology and applied biochemistry
View 2 additional sources
  1. Biologia
  2. Chinese medicine

polyphenols

  1. Journal of food biochemistry
  2. Phytochemistry
  3. International journal of medicinal chemistry
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Chinese medicine

CHLOROPHYLL

  1. ACS applied bio materials
  2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  3. Protoplasma
  4. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Saponins

  1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  2. Protoplasma
  3. Environmental research
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Andrographis paniculata has 64 reported activities identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Antiviral, Antimicrobial, Anticancer.

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Consensus
Antioxidant Dr. Duke (and other 25 sources) ★★★★★
Hepatoprotective Dr. Duke (and other 18 sources) ★★★★★
Antiviral Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology (and other 15 sources) ★★★★★
Antimicrobial Frontiers in genetics (and other 13 sources) ★★★★★
Anticancer Molecular informatics (and other 12 sources) ★★★★★
Antibacterial Dr. Duke (and other 10 sources) ★★★★★
Antidiabetic Plant disease (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Antipyretic Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Antiinflammatory Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Antimalarial Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Andrographis paniculata has 200 reported medicinal uses identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, cancer, fever, oxidative stress, COVID-19.

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Consensus
inflammation Journal of natural products (and other 14 sources) ★★★★★
cancer BMC complementary and alternative medicine (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
fever Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
oxidative stress Animal nutrition (Zhongguo xu mu shou yi xue hui) (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
COVID-19 3 Biotech (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
SARS-CoV-2 Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
antidiabetic Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
antioxidant Frontiers in genetics (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
antimalarial Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
antipyretic Frontiers in genetics (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆

Preparations

Preparations Sources Consensus
extracts Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.) (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
extract Journal of helminthology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
ethanol extract 3 Biotech (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
methanol extract 3 Biotech (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Extracts Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition) (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
andrographolide Toxicology and applied pharmacology (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
aqueous extract Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
dried extract Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
water extract 3 Biotech (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
85% EtOH extract Journal of natural products (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆