Herbal Andrographis on Cancers

Andrographis paniculata is also known as Andrographis is a herbaceous plant, genus Andrographis, belonging to the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. It has been used in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic in treating the common cold, flu, upper respiratory infections, infectious diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, pneumonia, swollen lymph nodes, leprosy, bronchitis, sore throats, tuberculosis, chickenpox, etc.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells growing and multiplying disordered and uncontrollable way in our body, have become progressively worse and damaged other healthy tissues, sometimes spreads to other organs in the body via lymph or blood and results may be in death.

The Ingredients
Besides the main ingredient andrographolides, giving the plant a bitter taste, other ingredients includediterpene lactones, such as neoandrographolide, andrographiside, 14-doexy-11, 12-didehydro andrographolide, etc., flavonoinds viz., oroxylin, wogonin, andrographidines A, B, C, D, E, F.

The benefits
Andrographolide (Andro), a diterpenoid, isolated from Andrographispaniculata, has exerted its anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects from sequenced combinations of andrographolide and cisplatin on ovarian cancer cell lines. In another study, Andrographolide, a chemical constituent isolated from the leaves of Andrographis paniculata Nees, significantly reduced the expression of hVEGF-A165 compared with a mock group in the Clara cells of the lungs and its anticancer and immunomodulatory activities may be potential to provide a cure for pulmonary tumors and a cancer therapeutic agent in the future.

The Side effects
1. Antifertility
Dry leaf powder of A. paniculata increases the risk accumulating of glycogen and cholesterol in the testis, and increased activities of lactate dehydrogenase in testis and alkaline phosphatase in testis and ventral prostate, thus reducing the risk of fertility.
2. People with gallbladder disease may want to consult with their doctor before using because of the herb stimulating gallbladder contraction effect.
3. Etc.



References
(1) Anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects from sequenced combinations of andrographolide and cisplatin on ovarian cancer cell lines. by Yunos NM, Mutalip SS, Jauri MH, Yu JQ, Huq F.(PubMed)
(2) Therapeutic Potential of Andrographolide Isolated from the Leaves of Andrographis paniculata Nees for Treating Lung Adenocarcinomas. by Tung YT, Chen HL, Tsai HC, Yang SH, Chang YC, Chen CM.(PubMed)
(3) Andrographolide, a potential cancer therapeutic agent isolated from Andrographis paniculata. by Rajagopal S, Kumar RA, Deevi DS, Satyanarayana C, Rajagopalan R.(PubMed)
(4) Antifertility effect of Andrographis paniculata (Nees) in male albino rat" by Akbarsha MA, Manivannan B, Hamid KS, Vijayan B., posted in (PubMed)