What does Andrographis do?

Herbal immune herb with solid evidence for reducing cold symptoms faster. Some anti-inflammatory benefits.

Is Andrographis safe?

Animal studies show andrographolide may cause testicular damage, blood-testis barrier disruption, and impaired sperm production — men trying to conceive should avoid it

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Andrographis

Also known as: Andrographis paniculata, Kalmegh, King of Bitters, andrographolide, AP extract

Effective Dosage

180-400 mg/day standardized extract based on clinical trials

What the Science Says

Andrographis is a bitter medicinal herb native to South Asia, long used in traditional medicine for infections and inflammation. Clinical trials show it can meaningfully reduce upper respiratory symptoms — like sore throat, congestion, and coughing — faster than placebo when taken at 200–400 mg of standardized extract daily, with benefits appearing within 3 days of starting treatment. It also shows anti-inflammatory effects, reducing markers like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, which may help dampen excessive immune responses.

What It Doesn't Do

Won't cure COVID-19 or add meaningful benefit on top of antiviral drugs. No proven benefit for severe infections. Not a replacement for antibiotics or prescription antivirals. The cancer research is very early-stage — don't take it expecting anti-tumor effects. No solid evidence it prevents you from getting sick in the first place.

Evidence-Based Benefits

Andrographis extract shows moderate evidence for reducing symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, pharyngitis), with standardized extracts at 200-400 mg/day significantly lowering symptom scores compared to placebo by day 3 (PMID: 36842634), and a topical spray formulation reducing pharyngitis symptom duration faster than chamomile control (PMID: 37821383). It also demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects, significantly reducing IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and hs-CRP in clinical settings (PMID: 37625206, 34532749). A phase II trial in esophageal cancer patients suggested potential palliative benefit and gut microbiota modulation, though the study was small and uncontrolled (PMID: 37042309).

Moderate Evidence

Effective at: 200-400 mg/day standardized extract for upper respiratory infections based on clinical trials

Source: auto-research

Absorption & Bioavailability

Moderate — andrographolide is rapidly absorbed but also rapidly eliminated, requiring consistent daily dosing to maintain therapeutic levels. A pharmacokinetic trial confirmed limited systemic exposure with a sigmoidal dose-response relationship.

Red Flags to Watch For

Animal studies show andrographolide may cause testicular damage, blood-testis barrier disruption, and impaired sperm production — men trying to conceive should avoid it
Most cold-symptom benefits were only statistically significant at Day 3, not Day 5 or Day 7 — suggesting short-term use only
The esophageal cancer trial had only 10 completers out of 30 enrolled — results are very preliminary and should not be used to justify cancer treatment decisions
Incident eosinophilia (a blood abnormality) was observed in participants across all groups in one trial, though the difference wasn't statistically significant
Often combined with other herbs in products, making it hard to attribute effects to andrographis alone

Research Sources

PubMed
NIH DSLD

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen. Last updated: 2026-04-06