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Moderate evidenceImmunity

Andrographis

Andrographis paniculata has better trial support for acute respiratory symptoms than echinacea does — consistent cough and sore-throat reductions across ~33 trials — but most studies are small, short and conducted with one proprietary combination product. Treat the effect as real but modest.

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What the science says

  • Symptom relief in acute respiratory tract infection Moderate evidence

    A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis (33 RCTs, 7,175 participants) found Andrographis improved cough (standardized mean difference -0.39) and sore throat (SMD -1.13) versus placebo, usual care or other herbs, and shortened time to symptom resolution by roughly 1-2 days. The authors rated overall evidence quality low-to-moderate because of small samples, poor blinding descriptions and heavy reliance on trials from a few centres.

  • Fixed combination with Eleutherococcus (Kan Jang) Moderate evidence

    A phase III double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 179 adults with uncomplicated upper respiratory infection reported significantly greater total symptom-score improvement with the standardized combination, with effects clearest by days 2-4. Because the combination includes Eleutherococcus senticosus, these trials cannot isolate Andrographis itself.

  • Prevention of colds Limited evidence

    Only a handful of small prophylaxis trials exist, mostly in students over 1-3 months, and the pooled prevention signal is weak and imprecise. There is no basis for taking it continuously through the winter.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTrials typically used 1,200-6,000 mg/day of dried herb extract, or extracts standardized to 30-60 mg/day of andrographolide, taken in 3 divided doses for 3-7 days at symptom onset. The Kan Jang combination trials used 1,020-1,200 mg/day of the fixed combination. Effects appear dose-dependent within this range; there is no evidence supporting long-term daily use.
SafetyCommon effects are bitter taste, nausea, diarrhoea, fatigue and headache. Allergic and anaphylactic reactions have been reported, particularly with injectable andrographolide derivatives used in China — those formulations carry a substantially worse adverse-event profile than oral herb preparations and are not sold as supplements in most countries. Isolated reports of hepatotoxicity and of urticaria exist. Animal data suggest possible antifertility and abortifacient effects, so avoid in pregnancy and when trying to conceive. May add to the effect of antihypertensives and anticoagulants, and theoretically opposes immunosuppressant therapy.

How to take it

TimingSplit it into three doses a day and start at symptom onset - courses run 3-7 days, not indefinitely.
With food?Take it with food; on an empty stomach the bitterness and nausea are hard to tolerate.
Worth knowingUse capsules rather than loose powder - the bitter taste is strong enough that most people abandon the powder within a day.

Interactions

With medications

  • blood pressure medication

    Andrographis may lower blood pressure additively. monitor your blood pressure during the course

  • warfarin, DOACs and antiplatelet drugs

    Possible additive antiplatelet effect. tell your prescriber before starting a course

  • tacrolimus, ciclosporin and other immunosuppressants

    Immune-stimulating activity theoretically opposes the drug. do not combine on immunosuppressive therapy

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does andrographis work for colds and sore throat?

Andrographis has moderate evidence: a meta-analysis of 33 trials found it improved cough and sore throat and shortened symptom duration by roughly 1-2 days. Evidence quality was rated low-to-moderate because many trials were small and from a few centres.

Is andrographis better than echinacea?

For treating acute respiratory symptoms, andrographis has better trial support than echinacea, with consistent cough and sore-throat reductions across trials. Many studies used one proprietary combination with eleuthero (Kan Jang), so andrographis' own effect is harder to isolate.

How should I take andrographis?

Andrographis trials used 1,200-6,000 mg/day of dried herb extract, or 30-60 mg/day of andrographolide, split into 3 doses for 3-7 days from symptom onset. Take it with food in capsules, and do not use it continuously through winter, since prevention evidence is weak.

Is andrographis safe?

Andrographis commonly causes bitter taste, nausea, diarrhoea, fatigue and headache, and allergic reactions have been reported. Avoid it in pregnancy and when trying to conceive, and monitor if you take blood pressure medication or anticoagulants.

Scientific references

Where to buy

Swanson Vitamins, Full Spectrum® Andrographis Paniculata, 400 mg, 60 Capsules

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