PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND ETHNOPHARMOCOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA (BURM.F) NEES

Abstract

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F) Nees is an annual, upright, branching and herbaceous plant which belongs to the family of Acanthaceae and widely used as medicine in numerous formulations like Ayush, Ayurveda, Siddha and Homoeopathy. It is extensively used to treat a diverse range of ailments, including diarrhoea, dysentery, cold, cough, fever, leprosy, depression, tuberculosis, jaundice, malaria, rheumatism, arthritis, herpes and multiple sclerosis. Additionally, the herb possesses different pharmacological activities such as antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antifertility, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antimalarial, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-HIV and anti-cancer etc. The therapeutic value of this plant is because of the presence of active compounds, andrographolide and neoandrographolide, which are derivatives of the diterpinoids. This current article delineates the distribution, chemical composition and pharmacology activitity of Andrographis paniculata. Finally, it draws the attention of the readers towards the utilization of this plant as a potent therapeutic drug