Andrographis – Good for Colds, Flu, and Fever

Andrographis paniculate grows naturally in areas like India, Pakistan, China, and Thailand. The leaves and stems are the parts of the plant useful for herbal healing.

Health Benefits of this Plant

This plant has been used for its healing properties since ancient times and it has a long history of medicinal use in Asia. Its most popular uses over the centuries have been for respiratory conditions, sore throat, fever, infections, herpes, and other chronic illnesses. The Scandinavians use it to treat and fight against colds. There have been studies recently verifying the plant’s effectiveness against AIDS, cancer, and other viral and bacterial conditions.

It has shown to be especially beneficial for many specific health concerns and conditions, including the following :

• Heart attack/Atherosclerosis – Scientific studies from China have shown that this herb helps to keep blood clots from forming. Using this herb also helps to keep the arteries clear after a procedure like angioplasty is done.
• Cancer – Studies have found that a cancer cell can’t grow out of control if it’s made to differentiate. Andrographis has powerful differentiation effects on leukemia cells. The leaves of this plant are also known to be beneficial in killing cancer cells. According to Japanese scientists, this herb also keeps stomach cancer cells from growing.
• Colds/Influenza – This herb is known to fight against the rhinovirus. Rhinoviruses are the main cause of the common cold. You can reduce your risk of catching a cold by as much as 50% by taking 200 mg of this herb every day. This herb is also known to give relief from many cold symptoms, but if you want to use it for cold symptoms you’ll have to take a lot more of it. It can also be used for pain and fever.
• Intestinal conditions and diarrhea – This herb has been found to be effective against E. coli infections. These bacterial infections are known to be a common cause of diarrhea.
• Gallbladder and liver issues – The active compounds in Andrographis promote an increase of bile acids and salts. This helps to prevent hepatitis. This herb also contains compounds which promote a healthy functioning gallbladder.
• HIV and AIDS – Experiments from the University of California have shown that compounds from the herb prevent the virus from attaching itself to normal T cells. The herb is also active against HIV in infected cells.

Considerations and Uses