Common Name for Andrographis Paniculata

Chuan Xin Lian

• Chuan xin lian is the most common Chinese name for Andrographis paniculata. It is also the name often used on packages of Andrographis tablets, which is one form in which the plant is sold as a remedy for illnesses such as tonsillitis, colds and infections of the respiratory system and urinary tract. The plant grows wild in thickets throughout South Asia and is native to India.

Kalmegh

• Kalmegh is one of many names the plant is known by in India, where it is used in Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. The Indians have traditionally considered it a protection against problems of the brain, heart, liver and intestines. Many Indian patent herbal medicines contain Andrographis paniculata. At the website Botanical.com, agriculture scientist Pankaj Oudhia notes that a decoction of the whole herb can be used to treat malaria. According to the website Herbs Are Special, India credits Andrographis paniculata with helping its nation minimize deaths during the global flu pandemic of the early 20th century.

King of Bitters

• Mahatita, which means King of Bitters, is another common Indian name for Andrographis paniculata. English speakers refer to it variously as King of Bitters, Green chirayta, Indian echinacea or the Creat. Herbs Are Special notes that Andrographis paniculata has been popular in Europe and the U.S. since the early 1990s. It states that "several double-blind clinical trials have shown that it can reduce the severity of symptoms" in colds and respiratory infections.