|
Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees
|
English Name |
Common Andrographis, |
|
Latin name |
Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees |
|
Family & Genus |
Acanthaceae, Andrographis |
|
Description |
Annual herbaceous; 50-80cm tall, stem square, lower part multi-branched, nodes geniculate and enlarged, stem and leaves taste bitter. Leaves opposite, papery, petiole short or nearly sessile, blade ovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 4-8cm long, 1-3cm wide, apex little obtuse, base cuneate, margin entire or light teethed. Racemes terminal and axillary, combine into large panicles; bracts and bractlets small, ca. 1mm long; calyx lobes triangular-lanceolate, ca. 3mm long, with glands and hairs; corolla white, nearly labiate, usually with pale purple stripes, ca. 12mm long, with glands and short hairs outside, 2 labiate, upper lip 2 lobate, lower lip 3 parted, corolla same length as labellum; stamens 2, anthers 2 chambers, 1 chamber base and one side of filament pubescent. Capsule flat, oblong, 1 indentation in middle, ca. 1.5cm long, 0.5cm wide, micro-glandular hairs, crack into 2 when mature; seeds 12, small, red, square, wrinkled. Flowering : September to October; fruiting: October to November. |
|
Distribution |
Growing in tropical and subtropical regions. Can be cultivated. Distributed in warm regions of south of the Yangtze River, originating in India. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Guangdong, Fujian and etc. |
|
Part Used |
Medical part: aboveground parts. Chinese name: Chuanxinlian. |
|
Harvest & Processing |
Harvested leaves when flourish in early autumn and sun-dried. |
|
Chemistry |
Contains diterpene lactones (e. g. andrographolide), flavonoids, sterol saponins, such as sugar and condensed tannin, etc. |
|
Pharmacology |
Antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, pituitary-adrenal exciting, immunity-enhancing, myocardial-ischemia preventing, platelet-aggregation inhibiting and anti-thrombosis, hepatic-protective and choleretic and anti-tumor, anti-fertility, anti-snake venom and muscarinic effects, beneficial to central nervous system. |
|
Properties & Actions |
Bitter, cold. Bitter, cold.Clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and dispersing swelling. |
|
Indications & Usage |
Used for cold and pyrexia, swelling and pain in the throat, mouth and tongue ulcers, pertussis and over-strained cough, diarrhea and dysentery, difficulty and pain in urination induced by pyretic stranguria, furuncle and ulcer, venomous snake bite.Internal: decocting, 6-10g; powdered, each time 0.6-1.2g; or made as pills. External: appropriate amount, smashed or made as ointment for external spread; or prepared decoction for dripping into ears or eyes; or powdered for application. Oral administration should not be too much. Patients with yang deficiency or weak spleen or stomach should take the drug carefully. |
|
Examples |
1. Laryngopharyngitis: common andrographis (fresh) 9g. Chew and swallow.
2. Rhinitis, otitis media, conjunctivitis and gastropyretic toothache: whole herb of fresh banlangen 9-15g, decoct in water and swallow; or pestle juice and drip into ear. |
| Link to |
 Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database
Chinese Medicine Specimen Database
|
|
