Andrographis paniculata Extract

Andrographis paniculata

Andrographis paniculata is a medicinal herb in the Acanthaceae family. It is a small annual herb with slender stems and lance shaped leaves. It flowers between Setermber and December.  Native to the tropics of India and Sri Lanka, it is frequently found in the home gardens of Bengal, India. Andrographis is a significant plant in the ethnomedical traditions of its native range. It is valued for its healing and rejuvenating actions. The main traditional use has been digestive support. 

It’s a all-natural, full-bodied, bittersweet herb that grows in Asian regions. Many herbalists suggest that bitter is better, especially when it comes to addressing digestive health conditions. Andrographis may help to strengthen the immune system, reduce oxidative stress, and enhance digestion.

Andrographis Benefits

Andrographis paniculata (family Acanthaceae) is a medicinal plant often used to support the treatment of Lyme disease, colds and flu, and upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). It has benefits in support of healthy blood pressure and can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Ethnomedical uses have included helping the body heal from ulcerative colitis, ulcers, leprosy, bronchitis, skin diseases, flatulence, colic, influenza, dysentery, dyspepsia, rheumatoid arthritis, and malaria.

Potential for Lyme Disease Support

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi.  Some of the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include inflammation, joint pain (arthritis), muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. The standard therapy recommends the use of antibiotics in treating Lyme disease. However, these antibiotics do not address the issues of inflammation, joint pain, and tissue damage caused by the spirochete.

Andrographis benefits include possible support for treatment of Lyme disease. It may prove effective in assisting the immune system in the very early, blood-borne stage of Lyme disease, called the planktonic stage. Andrographis may also support the health of joints and soft connective tissue that are challenged during chronic Lyme infection. The herb can help reduce inflammation at the joints and lymph nodes, issues often associated with persistent Lyme.

Andrographis benefits are often attributed to its active ingredient, andrographolides, which have shown anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties.

Andrographolides have anti-borreliae properties that interfere with the bacteria’s mechanisms. The active ingredient also may support immune function, enhance liver function, and strengthen heart muscles, which may help the immune system in clearing the bacterial infection.