What Is The Use Of Andrographis Extract? Who Should Not Use It?
Andrographis belongs to the Plantae kingdom and falls under the Andrographis paniculata species. It has common names such as green chiretta or creat. The plant is native to India and Sri Lanka and cultivated in major parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is also known as Indian Echinacea.
It is also very good at treating bacterial infections and many other diseases. Its leaves and roots are usually the parts that are used for medicinal purposes. The plant has seen many uses in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Andrographis extracts have a lot of benefits, such as preventing the common cold, boosting immunity, antioxidant richness and many more.
We will guide you through the various uses of the Andrographis plant and the situations where its use is not advisable.
Benefits Of Andrographis Extract
It is rarely the case when the plant has direct consumption. The extract form of Andrographis has a wide range of uses. There are plenty of known benefits of the plant. The most common uses are prevention from the common cold and influenza. People even make claims about its effectiveness in stopping the 1919 flu epidemic in India. Although, it is yet to be proven.
Its usage also extends to stomach-related issues such as diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain. There is also treatment for many infections, such as
Pneumonia
Leprosy
Tuberculosis
Rabies
Consuming it can also be good for treating various health problems like jaundice, fatty liver, etc.
There are numerous other uses, but due to insufficient human trials to prove its effects, there are still doubts about its consumption. At the same time, the already present studies are not enough to make any conclusive statements.
The next section will cover some of the trials that were conducted to test the efficiency of Andrographis and their results.
Studies To Test The Efficiency Of Andrographis
To check the efficiency of Andrographis, check some of the trials and studies that have been done on it.
Animal Trials
Let’s first look at some of the animal trials and the results of those trials.
A study was conducted on alcohol-seeking behavior in rats. It was seen that the rats that were genetically prone to alcohol were showing fewer signs of alcohol-seeking behavior. There was also a reduction in cue-induced alcohol-seeking, but the effects on yohimbine-induced alcohol-seeking did not see any change. The results were in favor of a reduction in alcohol-seeking behavior in those who had taken Andrographis. However, there is a need for more conclusive human trials.
Another study tested the anti-inflammatory effects of the plant, and the results were again in favor. There was a reduction in inflammation cytokines and a reduction in levels of uric acid.
The study on diabetic rats also showed improvement in diabetic behavior, and on top of that, there was an improvement in body weight, blood glucose, and many other useful chemicals.
Several other studies indicate an improvement in sexual performance, and the investigation of its anticancer effects could also see beneficial effects.
Human Trials
Human trials have also been taking place to check the efficiency of different doses of Andrographis. We will mention some of those trials to show their effects on the particular phenomenon of those experiments.
The study on human patients was conducted to test the effects of Andrographis on ulcerative colitis. A dosage of 400 mg or 600 mg Andrographis paniculata extract, thrice a day for 8 weeks, was seen to have the effects of a mesalamine. It basically means that it was effective in reducing inflammation.
There was a 30 mg dosage taken 3 times a day spanning over 14 weeks in 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results favoured the drug, as there was an improvement in the symptoms.
The first phase of the study on patients with HIV saw a halt to the replication of the virus in 6 weeks, even in the presence of higher CD4+ counts.
There were studies on the effects of respiratory infections. However, experts suggest that the methodology in those studies was of poor quality. But, all of those results were in favor of the drug.
In a study on Asian patients with Osteoarthritis, they were given two daily doses. The observation was that there was a reduction in pain and stiffness. The quality of life and fatigue also had significant improvement.
Common Uses Of Andrographis Extract
There is a lack of medical evidence, but, at the same time, extracts of Andrographis have a lot of common usages. This may be because of the fact that people who use it get the intended results. Some of its commons uses are:
Prevention and curing of a common cold
Reduction in fever
Helping with a sore throat
Inflammatory bowel disease
Treatment of Influenza
Different Ways To Consume Andrographis
There are many ways to consume Andrographis, and people usually take it via its root extracts by mixing it with other food ingredients. You should avoid direct consumption because of the extremely bitter flavour it possesses. You can consume it in the following ways:
Direct consumption (if you have