Andrographis paniculata

Andrographis paniculata
File:Andrographis paniculata (Kalpa) in Narshapur forest, AP W2 IMG 0867.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Genus:	Andrographis
Species:	A. paniculata
Binomial name
Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. ex Nees
Synonyms
Justicia paniculata Burm.f.

Andrographis paniculata is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka.

It is widely cultivated in Southern and Southeastern Asia, where it has been traditionally used to treat infections and some diseases. Mostly the leaves and roots were used for medicinal purposes. The whole plant is also used in some cases.

Etymology

Andrographis paniculata is an erect annual herb extremely bitter in taste in all parts of the plant body. The plant is known in north-eastern India as Maha-tikta, literally "king of bitters", and known by various vernacular names (see the table below). As an Ayurveda herb it is known as Kalmegh or Kalamegha, meaning "dark cloud". It is also known as Nila-Vembu, meaning "neem of the ground", since the plant, though being a small annual herb, has a similar strong bitter taste as that of the large Neem tree (Azadirachta indica). In Malaysia, it is known as Hempedu Bumi, which literally means 'bile of earth' since it is one of the most bitter plants that are used in traditional medicine.

List of vernacular names of A. paniculata Nees

Language	Common name
Punjabi	Chooraita
Assamese	Chirota
Arabic	Quasabhuva
Marathi	kadu kirayata,Oli-kiryata
Bengali	Kālmegh (কালমেঘ)
Oriya	(Bhuinimba), ଚିରେଇତା (Chireita)
Chinese	Chuan Xin Lian (穿心蓮)
English	Green chirayta, creat, king of bitters, andrographis, India echinacea
Persian	Naine-havandi
Gujarati	કરિયાતુ (Kariyatu)
Sanskrit	Kālamegha (कालमेघ), Bhūnimba (भूनिम्ब)
Hindi	कीरायत (Kirayat)
Tamil	Siriyaa Nangai [சிறியா நங்கை]/ Nila Vembu [நிலவேம்பு]
Kannada	Nelabevu
Malayalam	NilavEpp (നിലവേപ്പ്), Kiriyathth (കിരിയത്ത്)
Telugu	Nelavemaa (నేలవేము) or Nelavepu meaning "Neem of the ground". "Nela" = ground and "vemaa" = neem.
Malay	Hempedu Bumi
Bahasa Indonesia	Sambiloto, sambiroto
Tagalog	Aluy, Likha, Sinta, Serpentina
Thai	Fa Thalai Chon (ฟ้าทะลายโจร, Thai pronunciation: [fáː.tʰa.lāːj.tɕōːn]), literally meaning 'the heavens strike the thieves'
Lao	La Xa Bee (ລາຊາບີ, Lao pronunciation: [láː.sáː.bìː])
Sinhalese	Hīn Kohomba / Heen Kohomba (හීන් කොහොඹ), meaning "small neem," or Hīn Bīm Kohomba / Heen Bim Kohomba(හීන් බිම් කොහොඹ) meaning "small neem of the ground."
Vietnamese	Xuyên Tâm Liên

Akean: Marean

Description

Andrographis paniculata grows erect to a height of 30–110 cm in moist, shady places. The slender stem is dark green, squared in cross-section with longitudinal furrows and wings along the angles. The lance-shaped leaves have hairless blades measuring up to 8 centimeters long by 2.5 wide. The small flowers are borne in spreading racemes. The fruit is a capsule around 2 centimeters long and a few millimeters wide. It contains many yellow-brown seeds.

Distribution

A. paniculata is distributed in tropical Asian countries, often in isolated patches. It can be found in a variety of habitats, such as plains, hillsides, coastlines, and disturbed and cultivated areas such as roadsides, farms, and wastelands. Native populations of A. paniculata are spread throughout south India and Sri Lanka which perhaps represent the center of origin and diversity of the species. The herb is an introduced species in northern parts of India, Java, Malaysia, Indonesia, the West Indies, and elsewhere in the Americas. The species also occurs in Hong Kong, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, and other parts of Asia where it may or may not be native. The plant is cultivated in many areas, as well.

Unlike other species of the genus, A. paniculata is of common occurrence in most places in India, including the plains and hilly areas up to 500 m, which accounts for its wide use.

In India the major source of plant is procured from wild habitat.The plant is in Low Risk or Least Concerned in the IUCN category. Under the trade name Kalmegh Annually on an average 2000-5000 Metric tonne of plant is traded in India.

Cultivation

It does best in a sunny location. The seeds are sown during May and June (northern hemisphere). The seedlings are transplanted at a distance of 60 cm x 30 cm.

Medicinal use

Since ancient times, A. paniculata has been used in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine as well as in tribal medicine in India and some other countries for multiple clinical applications.

The herb has a number of purported medicinal uses, although research has found evidence of its effectiveness is limited to treatment of symptoms of upper respiratory infection, ulcerative colitis and rheumatic symptoms; in particular, there is no evidence of its effectiveness in cancer treatment.

This plant is major ingredient of the polyherbal formulation by name "Nilavembu kudineer choornam" in Siddha medicine.

According to the Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine, "A specific product (andrographis combined with Eleutherococcus senticosus) may shorten the duration and lessen the symptoms of common cold." It also says, "Pregnant women shouldn't use andrographis because it could terminate pregnancy."

In one Chilean study from 1999, the herb had a significant drying effect on the nasal secretions of cold sufferers who took 1,200 milligrams of andrographis extract daily for five days. A 2012 study suggested that Andrographis paniculata extracts may have the potential to be used as a mosquito repellant.

Chemistry

Andrographolide is the major constituent extracted from the leaves of the plant which is a bicyclic diterpenoid lactone. This bitter principle was isolated in pure form by Gorter (1911). Systematic studies on chemistry of A. paniculata have been carried out.

Some known constituents are:

• "14-Deoxy-11-dehydroandrographolide, Plant
• 14-Deoxy-11-oxoandrographolide, Plant
• 5-Hydroxy-7,8,2',3'-Tetramethoxyflavone, Plant
• 5-Hydroxy-7,8,2'-Trimethoxyflavone, Tissue Culture
• Andrographine, Root
• Andrographolide, Plant
• Neoandrographolide, Plant
• Panicoline, Root
• Paniculide-A, Plant
• Paniculide-B, Plant
• Paniculide-C, Plant"

See also

• List of ineffective cancer treatments

References

Prajjal Kanti Singha, Somenath Roy, Satyahari Dey. Antimicrobial activity of Andrographis paniculata. Fitoterapia. 2003; 74(7-8):692-4.

Further reading

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Andrographis paniculata

External links

• Andrographis (www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au)
• Dr. Duke's Database
• Contains a detailed monograph on Andrographis paniculatus (Bhunimba) as well as a discussion of health benefits and usage in clinical practice. Available online at http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/learning-herbs/390-bhunimba
• http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/16/1/66.pdf
• Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University) (traditional Chinese) (English)
• 穿心蓮, Common Andrographis Herb, Chuan Xin Lian Chinese Medicine Specimen Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University) (traditional Chinese) (English)

• GRIN Species Profile
• sanskrit synonyms of bhunimb Amarkosha ch. 2, section - forest medicinal plants, verse - 143
• medicinal properties of bhunimb Nighatu adarsh
• Chao W-W., Lin B.-F. "Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds in Andrographis paniculata (Chuanxinlian) Chinese Medicine 2010 5 Article Number 17