Herbs & Spices · Immune herbs

Andrographis: Benefits for Colds, Uses, Dosage & Side Effects

What andrographis, the bitter "king of bitters" of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, does for colds and sore throats, how it works in your body, how much to take and when, and who should skip it.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·21-min read

Evidence-based36 sources citedUpdated November 12, 2026

Published Nov 12, 2026Last updated Nov 12, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy

Andrographis as capsules, powdered herb and fresh leaves. Its bitter taste earned it the name king of bitters.

The Dr. Axe Score™

7.1/10

Overall Dr. Axe Score · Andrographis

Andrographis scores 7.1 because centuries of use as the great bitter herb of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine meet placebo-controlled trials in which colds eased and people spent fewer days home sick, held back by rare but serious allergic reactions.

Scientific Evidence

6.2/10

A 2017 review of 33 randomized trials and several placebo-controlled trials found faster relief of colds and sore throats; the reviewers judged the trials' overall quality as poor, and the ulcerative colitis and joint results are mixed.

Traditional Medicine

8.8/10

The king of bitters in Ayurveda, in at least 26 Ayurvedic formulas, and a cold, bitter herb that clears heat in Chinese medicine, with long use in Thailand and Malaysia too.

Clinical Effectiveness

7.0/10

One of my cooling herbs for a cold that runs hot, one of my longer-term prevention herbs and one of my top five prescriptions for bronchitis.

Safety

6.4/10

Mild stomach upset or rash in about 1 in 10 people in trials, with serious events very rare; deductions for rare anaphylaxis, a modest rise in a liver enzyme in users and the missing data in pregnancy.

Why this score?

Why Andrographis scores 7.1 / 10

Weighting: Evidence 30% · Traditional Medicine 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Safety 20% (6.2×0.30 + 8.8×0.25 + 7.0×0.25 + 6.4×0.20 = 1.86 + 2.20 + 1.75 + 1.28 = 7.09, shown as 7.1). Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score. How we score

A transparent, weighted index built for supplements. See how it’s calculated →

Interaction check: Moderate. Andrographis may add to or work against a few kinds of medicines, based on lab and animal studies. Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score.

Blood thinners, such as warfarin: andrographis compounds slowed platelet clumping in lab studies, and in rats andrographolide about doubled warfarin levels in the blood.30 31 Ask your doctor before adding it, and have your INR checked when you start.

Blood-pressure medicines, such as amlodipine: andrographis extracts lowered blood pressure in rats.12 Check your blood pressure at home more often during the first week.

Immune-suppressing medicines, such as tacrolimus after a transplant: andrographolide stirs immune cells in lab and animal studies, so in theory it could work against these drugs.21 Use it only if the doctor managing your treatment agrees.

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Andrographis at a glance

Andrographis, the "king of bitters" of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, is a cooling herb that supports your immune system through a cold, and in placebo-controlled trials it eased sore throat and cough and got people back on their feet sooner.1 2 3 I recommend it when a cold runs hot, and it's one of my longer-term prevention herbs for cold season.4

What it does: eases sore throat, cough and congestion and shortens your time off sick; in a placebo-controlled trial of 179 adults, people taking andrographis with eleuthero spent 2.38 days home sick, against 3.02 on placebo3
How much: for a cold, the trials used 200 to 400 mg a day of a standardized extract or 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract, and for bronchitis, my prescription is 500 to 1,000 mg three times a day5 6 7 8
How to use it: start at the first sign of a cold and keep going for 5 to 7 days, as capsules or tablets, a tea, a tincture or a throat spray3 7 9
Stop it at once and get emergency care if you notice hives, swelling of your face or throat, or wheezing, because rare allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been reported10

Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) is a bitter green herb that Ayurveda and Chinese medicine have long used for colds, fevers and sore throats, and in placebo-controlled trials it eased cough and sore throat and, taken with eleuthero, shortened the time people spent home sick.2 3 It's one of the herbs I recommend when a cold runs hot, because it's very cooling and very anti-inflammatory, and it's also one of my longer-term prevention herbs, along with astragalus and reishi.4

The sore throat, stuffy nose and fever of a cold are your immune system's own defense at work, a protective response that's meant to clear the virus and then settle down, and andrographis helps that response do its job and quiet down sooner.3 That fits its long reputation in India and China as a cooling herb for fevers and sore throats,1 and it's why the time to start is the first sign of a cold, as the trials did.3 8

Another favorite of mine is andrographis. This is referred to as Indian echinacea, and it's used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating infectious diseases.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom How to Prevent & Heal Cold & Flu Naturally (Foods, Supplements, & Herbs for Rapid Recovery), The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2024)

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Did you know?

Andrographis is so bitter that it's known as the king of bitters, and a 2014 review counts it in at least 26 Ayurvedic formulas.1
It goes by many names across Asia: kalmegh in India, chuan xin lian in China, fah tha lai in Thailand and hempedu bumi in Malaysia.11
Beyond colds, andrographis has traditionally been used for diarrhea and for high blood pressure.12

What is andrographis?

Quick answer

Andrographis is a bitter herb, Andrographis paniculata, native to India and Sri Lanka and used across Asia for colds, fevers, sore throats and digestion.1 2 Its leaves and the parts that grow above ground are dried for teas, powders, tinctures and standardized extracts, and its main active compounds are bitter andrographolides.1 2 12

The plant belongs to the acanthus family, and its leaves have long been used as a medicinal herb for infectious diseases.13 Most of what you'll find on a shelf today is a capsule or tablet of an extract standardized to its andrographolides, the compounds the cold trials measured, while the traditional forms were teas, powders, juices, pastes and tinctures.1 3

You'll also hear it called Indian echinacea, a name that puts it beside echinacea as a go-to herb when you're coming down with something.4

A short history of andrographis

In India, where it's called kalmegh, andrographis has been part of Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Ayurvedic practitioners have used it for digestion and constipation, fever, pain and sore throats, and "to clean the blood," and its Sanskrit name, Mahatikta, reflects the bitterness that earned it the title king of bitters.14 1 In traditional Chinese medicine, where it's chuan xin lian, it's a cold-property herb used to rid the body of heat and fever, and healers in both countries have reached for it for coughs, colds and flu.1 2 Thai and Malaysian healers use it too, under their own names.11

When people across India, China and Southeast Asia keep turning to the same bitter herb for fevers and sore throats, generation after generation, it's worth asking what they were seeing, and since the early 1990s researchers have put it to the test in people with colds and sore throats.15 2

What is andrographis good for?

Quick answer

Andrographis is good for colds and other upper respiratory infections: it eases sore throat, cough and congestion and helps you get back on your feet sooner.2 3 It works with your immune system's own defense, helping it settle down sooner, and it has also been studied for cold prevention, ulcerative colitis and achy joints.3 16 17 18

Where the research stands

Andrographis has been tested in people for colds and upper respiratory infections, sore throat and fever, prevention through a cold season, flu, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and knee osteoarthritis, in placebo-controlled trials and pooled reviews.2 16 19 17 20 18 Our picture of how it works on viruses and immune cells comes mostly from lab and animal studies.21 22

Andrographis benefits, graded by evidence (updated October 2026). Evidence labels are editorial judgments that compare these uses with each other; they aren't formal certainty ratings.
Use	Evidence	Product studied	What the research shows
Colds and upper respiratory infections	Moderate	Standardized extracts, and a combination with eleuthero	Less cough and sore throat than placebo, and fewer days home sick2 3
Sore throat and fever	Emerging	Dried herb, 6 grams a day; a throat spray	Relief about as good as acetaminophen by day 315
Fewer colds in winter	Emerging	Dried extract tablets, daily for 3 months	Fewer students caught a cold than on placebo16
Ulcerative colitis	Mixed	Andrographis extract, 1,800 mg a day	More people responded than on placebo17
Joint comfort	Emerging	Standardized extract tablets	Less knee pain than placebo in knee osteoarthritis18
Immune and antiviral support	Preclinical	Andrographolide	Slowed many viruses and stirred immune cells in lab and animal studies21
Calmer inflammation	Preclinical	Andrographolide	Eased inflammation and fever in animal studies11

How does andrographis work in your body?

Your body meets a cold the way it was designed to, by sending defenders and inflammation to the lining of your nose and throat. You can think of that inflammation as a fire your body lights on purpose to burn out the virus, and andrographis helps that fire die down sooner once it has done its job. Chinese medicine describes the same picture in its own language, calling andrographis a cold herb that clears heat.1

1A cold starts in your lining

Within 1 to 3 days of meeting a cold virus, the lining of your nose and throat mounts a protective, self-limited inflammatory defense, which you feel as a sore throat, sneezing and congestion.3

2Bitter compounds reach the switch

Andrographis's main compounds are bitter andrographolides. In human immune cells grown in a dish, andrographolide kept NF-κB, the switch that turns on inflammatory messengers, from binding to DNA, and it lowered COX-2, an enzyme behind pain and swelling.22

3Your defenders get backup

In lab and animal studies, andrographolide slowed viruses down and rallied the immune cells that hunt down infected cells.21

4The fire settles sooner

In 179 adults with colds, white blood cell counts and the ESR, a blood marker of inflammation, improved more on an andrographis and eleuthero combination than on placebo.3

5You're back on your feet

Across placebo-controlled trials, people on andrographis had less cough and sore throat, and on the combination with eleuthero they spent fewer days home sick.2 3

For you, that adds up to a cold that's gentler while it lasts and over sooner, with your own immune system doing the work it was built to do.2 3

Andrographis benefits, ranked by evidence

Ranked by the strength of the research, andrographis's top uses are shorter, milder colds, a soothed sore throat and fever, and fewer colds through the season. The research on ulcerative colitis, joint comfort, immune support and inflammation is still growing.

Shorter, milder colds

Moderate evidenceHuman study2017 systematic review of 33 randomized trials · 7,175 people; placebo-controlled trials of 158, 223, 300, 179 and 185 people

Andrographis helps your body get through a cold faster, with a gentler sore throat and cough along the way. When a 2017 systematic review pooled 33 randomized trials with 7,175 adults and children with respiratory infections, andrographis eased cough and sore throat more than placebo in the trials that compared the two, and side effects were minor, mostly stomach upset.2 Andrographis on its own helped in three placebo-controlled trials of adults with colds. In 158 adults in Chile, 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract for 5 days meant less tiredness, better sleep and less sore throat and nasal discharge by day 2, and every symptom measured had eased by day 4.8 In 223 adults in India on 200 mg a day of a standardized extract, every symptom kept easing from day 3 to day 5, while several stalled or got worse on placebo.6 And in 300 adults in Mumbai, 200 or 400 mg a day lowered symptom scores by day 3, after which the groups evened out by days 5 and 7.7

Several trials tested a combination tablet of andrographis with eleuthero (Siberian ginseng). In a placebo-controlled trial of 179 adults who started it within 36 hours of their first symptoms, in which neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, those on the combination spent 2.38 days at home sick, against 3.02 days on placebo, and all seven symptoms tracked eased from day 2.3 An earlier placebo-controlled trial of the same combination in 185 people with upper respiratory infections, including sinus infections, improved overall symptoms, with headache, nasal and throat symptoms and that run-down feeling improving most, though cough didn't differ from placebo.23 The makers of the combination tablet and of the Indian extract helped run several of these trials,8 6 3 and the amounts that worked are listed in the dosage section below.

Study takeaway: 2.38 days home sick, against 3.02 on placebo, when the combination was started within 36 hours.

Andrographis with eleuthero: 2.38 sick days vs 3.02 on placebo

Source: Narimanyan M et al. · J Tradit Complement Med, 2021 [3]Average days spent at home sick. The capsules combined an andrographis extract with eleuthero (Siberian ginseng), so the result belongs to the pair.

Soothes a sore throat and cools a fever

Emerging evidenceHuman studyRandomized trial of 152 adults with sore throat and fever, compared with acetaminophen; randomized trial of 60 adults, throat spray compared with chamomile spray

A raw, burning throat and a fever are signs of heat in Chinese medicine, and cooling them is one of andrographis's oldest jobs.1 In a randomized trial at a Bangkok hospital, 152 adults with sore throat and inflamed tonsils took 3 or 6 grams a day of dried andrographis or acetaminophen for 7 days, without knowing which they had.15 By day 3, the 6-gram dose had relieved fever and sore throat about as well as acetaminophen did, and acetaminophen and the 6-gram dose both did better than the 3-gram dose; by day 7 all three groups were the same, and mild, passing side effects came up in about 20% of each group.15

For a sore throat, you can also treat it right where it hurts. A randomized trial of 60 adults with viral sore throats in northern Thailand compared an andrographis throat spray with a chamomile spray, and both helped, but people responded in 1.9 days on the andrographis spray, against 2.5 days on chamomile, with no side effects in either group.9 Our guide to sore throat remedies has more ways to soothe a raw throat at home.

Study takeaway: 6 grams a day of dried andrographis relieved fever and sore throat about as well as acetaminophen by day 3.

Fewer colds through the season

Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled pilot trial · 107 students over 3 winter months; 2004 systematic review of 7 trials · 896 people

Taken every day through cold season, andrographis may help you catch fewer colds in the first place. In a placebo-controlled pilot trial at a rural school in Chile, 107 students took two tablets of a dried andrographis extract or two placebo tablets a day for three winter months, and each of them was checked for colds every week.16 The first month showed no difference, but by the third month 30% of the andrographis group had caught a cold, against 62% on placebo.16 A 2004 systematic review of 7 trials with 896 people called this preliminary evidence of a preventive effect, on top of its benefit for cold symptoms.13 That fits its place among my longer-term prevention herbs.4

Study takeaway: by the third month, 30% caught a cold on andrographis, against 62% on placebo.

Calmer ulcerative colitis

Mixed evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled trial of 224 adults with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis; randomized trial of 120 people compared with mesalazine; 2024 meta-analysis

Andrographis's anti-inflammatory action reaches the lining of the colon, and in ulcerative colitis the higher dose helped more people respond. In a placebo-controlled trial at 52 centers in five countries, 224 adults with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis took 1,200 or 1,800 mg a day of an andrographis extract, split into three doses, or placebo for 8 weeks, and the extract's developer funded the trial.17 On 1,800 mg a day, 59.5% of people responded, against 40.0% on placebo, and 50.0% showed healing of the colon lining at the end of the trial, against 33.3%; the 1,200 mg dose, with 44.6% responding, didn't differ from placebo.17

In a randomized trial of 120 people in China, the lower dose, 1,200 mg a day of the same extract, was compared with slow-release mesalazine, a standard first medicine for ulcerative colitis, at 4,500 mg a day over 8 weeks, with response rates of 76% and 82% and no significant difference between the two, though a trial like that can't show the two are equal.24 When a 2024 meta-analysis pooled the 1,200 mg results from both trials, against mesalazine or placebo on top of mesalazine, it found no significant difference, so the 1,800 mg dose is the one with support.25 Even at 1,800 mg, response improved but remission didn't differ significantly from placebo (37.8% against 25.3%).17 If you have ulcerative colitis, andrographis fits alongside the foods in our ulcerative colitis diet guide, taken at 1,800 mg a day, the dose that helped in the trial.

Study takeaway: 59.5% responded on 1,800 mg a day, against 40.0% on placebo, over 8 weeks.

Ulcerative colitis: 59.5% responded on andrographis vs 40.0% on placebo

Source: Sandborn WJ et al. · Am J Gastroenterol, 2013 [17]Share of people whose ulcerative colitis responded by week 8 on 1,800 mg a day.

Joint comfort

Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled trials · 103 adults with knee osteoarthritis for 84 days; 60 adults with rheumatoid arthritis for 14 weeks

Calmer inflammation can mean more comfortable joints, and andrographis eased knee pain and stiffness in people with knee osteoarthritis. In a placebo-controlled trial of 103 adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, 300 or 600 mg a day of a standardized extract lowered knee pain more than placebo at days 28, 56 and 84, at both doses, and stiffness, everyday function and fatigue improved as well; the trial was led by researchers from the extract's maker.18 In a placebo-controlled trial of 60 adults with active rheumatoid arthritis, 14 weeks of andrographis tablets lowered joint pain, though not by enough to differ from placebo, while tender and swollen joint counts improved and rheumatoid factor fell within the andrographis group.20 Andrographis sits comfortably beside the other natural arthritis treatments, and the knee trial's 300 mg a day is a sensible place to start.18

Study takeaway: less knee pain than placebo at days 28, 56 and 84 in knee osteoarthritis.

Immune and antiviral support

PreclinicalIn vitro (lab)Lab and animal studies, reviewed in 2017

As I teach it, andrographis enhances lymphocyte activity and stimulates antibody production to help kill off viruses.4 In lab and animal studies, its main compound, andrographolide, slowed the copying of many different viruses and stirred natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells, two kinds of immune cells that seek out infected cells, into action.21 That's why andrographis belongs among the antiviral herbs people keep on hand through cold and flu season.

Study takeaway: andrographolide slowed many viruses and rallied immune cells in lab and animal studies.

Calmer inflammation

PreclinicalAnimal studyAnimal and cell studies, reviewed in 2013

The cooling, anti-inflammatory nature that Chinese medicine describes shows up in the lab as well.1 In animal studies, andrographolide reduced inflammation set off by histamine, adrenaline and dimethyl benzene, and it lowered fever in rats.11 It also raised the body's antioxidant enzymes in animal work.11

Study takeaway: andrographolide calmed inflammation and lowered fever in animal studies.

Other ways people use andrographis

Andrographis may also ease fatigue in multiple sclerosis. In a placebo-controlled pilot trial of 25 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who were also taking interferon beta, 170 mg of andrographis extract twice a day for 12 months lowered fatigue scores by 44% compared with placebo among the 22 who finished, though relapses and disability didn't differ.26 And during a mold detox, it's one of the herbs I recommend to help cleanse the lungs.27

When should you take andrographis for a cold?

Quick answer

Take andrographis at the first sign of a cold, ideally within the first day or two, and keep going for 5 to 7 days.3 7 Through cold season, you can also take it every day, the way the school trial in Chile did for three months.16

The trial that got people back to work sooner enrolled them within 36 hours of their first symptoms, and in the trials of the standardized extract, the clearest gains came in the first few days.3 6 7 That makes the front end of a cold the time to start, when the scratchy throat and that run-down feeling first show up. In Chinese medicine, as I write in my advice for colds, the virus takes hold because of wind, dampness or excess cold, so the herb you choose should match the pattern your body shows.5 When a cold hits, I recommend vitamin C, vitamin D3, andrographis and ginseng to support immune health.5 Our guide to natural cold remedies lays out the rest of the toolkit, including elderberry and echinacea.

Cold and flu season overlaps with the holidays, when houses fill up and travel picks up, so it helps to have andrographis in the cupboard before the season starts rather than hunting for it once you're sick.

Andrographis in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda

In Chinese medicine, the herb has to fit the person, and andrographis is cold and bitter, an herb for clearing heat and bringing down a fever.1 That's how I teach it too: when your body is overly hot, with redness, fever, inflammation and irritation, andrographis is one of the herbs to consider.4 It's one of the cooling herbs I list in Ancient Remedies, alongside aloe vera, skullcap, peppermint, rose, fennel, mulberry and nettles, and our guide to cooling foods and herbs explains how they work together.5

Your tongue is one of the simplest guides to which kind of cold you have. As I teach it, a red tongue, especially at the tip or the edges, means heat has entered your body, while a pale or white tongue, or one with a coating on it, points to cold.4 When you run hot, I recommend andrographis and the bitter herbs, because they tend to be cooling, and when you have chills and feel cold, I recommend warming remedies instead, such as cayenne pepper, garlic and oregano oil.28 29 If you run cold, a cup of warming ginger tea is the better match.

If you have a lot of heat in the body, andrographis would be a good herb to use.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom How to Heal Chronic Infections Naturally | Dr. Chris Motley, The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2026)

Andrographis also dries dampness, Chinese medicine's word for heavy, lingering congestion, which is why it's one of my top five prescriptions for bronchitis, alongside echinacea, astragalus, Panax ginseng and probiotics.5

In Ayurveda, that same bitterness, the first thing you'll notice in a cup of andrographis tea, is what makes kalmegh useful for digestion,14 and it puts andrographis among the bitter foods and herbs that have a place in traditional diets.

How to use andrographis

Quick answer

Take andrographis as capsules or tablets of a standardized extract at the first sign of a cold, as the trials did, or use the dried herb as a powder or tea, a tincture or a throat spray.6 15 9 1 Because it's so bitter, capsules are the easiest way to take a measured amount.

Andrographis comes in several forms, and each has its place:

Capsules or tablets of a standardized extract: the form used in the extract trials for colds, labeled by how much andrographolide each one holds.6 7 8
Combination tablets with eleuthero: andrographis paired with eleuthero (Siberian ginseng), the form in the trial that cut sick days.3
Dried herb powder: the form in the Bangkok sore-throat trial, which used 3 to 6 grams a day; it's intensely bitter, so capsules make it easier to take.15
Tea: dried leaves steeped in hot water, one of the traditional forms; the recipe below softens the bitterness with ginger and honey.1
Tincture: a liquid extract, another traditional form, taken in a little water as the label directs.1
Throat spray: sprayed right onto a sore throat, as in the Thai trial against chamomile spray.9

How to choose an andrographis supplement

Check the label for the Latin name, Andrographis paniculata, and look for an extract standardized to its andrographolides, since that's how the trials measured their doses; the products an integrative medicine textbook describes were standardized to 4% andrographolide.14 3 If you buy a combination product, read what else is in it so you know which herbs you're taking.

Recipe

Total15 minutes

Yield1 cup

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried andrographis leaf
1¼ cups water
3 thin slices of fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons raw local honey
A squeeze of lemon (optional)

Instructions

Simmer the ginger in the water for 5 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat, add the andrographis and let it steep for 5 minutes; the longer it steeps, the more bitter it gets.
Strain into a mug and add the lemon if you like.
Let it cool until it's comfortable to sip, then stir in the honey.

Raw local honey and ginger round out the bitterness and add their own soothing warmth for a scratchy throat. The tea is a gentle, traditional way to enjoy the herb, while capsules give you the measured amounts the trials used.

How much andrographis should you take?

Quick answer

For a cold, the trials used 200 to 400 mg a day of a standardized extract or 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract, for 5 to 7 days, and for bronchitis, my prescription is 500 to 1,000 mg of andrographis three times a day.6 7 8 5

An integrative medicine textbook gives a regimen for colds of a 300 mg tablet four times a day for the first few days, using products standardized to 4% andrographolide.14 The trials on this page used these amounts:

Use	Amount studied	How long
Colds, standardized extract	200 or 400 mg a day6 7	5 to 7 days
Colds, dried extract	1,200 mg a day8	5 days
Colds, combination with eleuthero	1,170 mg of andrographis extract (60 mg of andrographolides) with 68.4 mg of eleuthero extract a day3	5 days
Sore throat and fever, dried herb	6 grams a day15	7 days
Fewer colds in winter	2 tablets of a dried extract a day16	3 months
Ulcerative colitis	1,800 mg a day, in three doses17	8 weeks
Knee osteoarthritis	300 or 600 mg a day18	84 days

For a cold, 5 to 7 days covers it, and for prevention through the season, the Chilean school trial ran for three months.16 Take it with food, and choose capsules if the bitter taste is hard to get past.

Want help fitting andrographis into your routine?

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Andrographis side effects and who should skip it

Allergic reactions. These are rare, but they can be serious. Thailand's national reports from 2001 to 2012 included 13 cases of anaphylaxis or angioedema (swelling of the face and throat), 9 of them anaphylaxis, starting 5 minutes to a day after a dose, and 12 of the 13 recovered fully while one still had some symptoms at the time of the report; 88% of the 106 reports in the wider set involved people with no known history of drug allergy.10 In September 2026, Australia's medicines regulator stopped allowing andrographis in new listed medicines, its category for low-risk products, and urged makers to recall existing ones. Its safety review counted 1,368 reactions to the end of 2025, almost 300 of them anaphylaxis, and found they can come on the first dose or after earlier uneventful use, so the risk can't be managed within that category.32 33 In Australia, check the TGA's recall list, and stop using any product on it. Stop it and get emergency care at once if you notice hives, swelling of your lips, face or throat, or trouble breathing, and if you've reacted to it once, don't take it again.

Liver. In high doses, andrographis may briefly raise liver enzymes.14 In a 2021 survey of 485 Thai gastroenterology patients with liver tests, a small rise in the liver enzyme ALT was more common in people who'd taken andrographis in the past month, 44.5% against 32.2%.34 Keep to the amounts on this page for the lengths of time studied, and stop if you notice dark urine, yellowing skin or pain under your right ribs.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding. There's no human safety data for andrographis in pregnancy or while nursing, so skip it during those times.14

Stomach upset and rash. These are the common side effects. In a 2021 review of 10 randomized trials, about 1 in 10 people had a nonserious side effect, mostly stomach or skin related, while serious events were very rare, about 0.02 per 1,000 people.35 In the ulcerative colitis trial, a mild rash that cleared up came on in 8% of people on the extract, against 1% on placebo.17 Taking it with food helps.

Children. Use only a product made for children, at the amount on its label.

The bottom line

Should you take andrographis?

Yes, if you want a natural herb to help you through cold season. Andrographis is the king of bitters of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, a cooling herb for a cold that runs hot, and in placebo-controlled trials it eased sore throat and cough and, paired with eleuthero, cut the days people spent home sick, with growing research on ulcerative colitis and achy joints. People across Asia have reached for it at the first sign of a fever and sore throat for generations, and the trials of the last three decades have begun to show why.

Keep a bottle on hand and start it at the first sign of a cold, at the amounts the cold trials used, for 5 to 7 days, alongside rest, warm fluids and the other herbs in your cold-season kit. For bronchitis, my prescription is 500 to 1,000 mg three times a day. A cold is your body doing what it was designed to do, and andrographis helps it finish the job.

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Andrographis: frequently asked questions

What is andrographis good for?

Andrographis is best known for colds: it eases sore throat and cough and helps you recover sooner. In a placebo-controlled trial of 179 adults who started an andrographis and eleuthero combination within 36 hours of their first symptoms, people spent 2.38 days home sick, against 3.02 on placebo.3 It has also been studied for sore throat and fever, cold prevention, ulcerative colitis and knee osteoarthritis, and Chinese medicine counts it a cooling herb that clears heat.15 16 17 18 1

Does andrographis really work for colds?

Yes. A 2017 systematic review of 33 randomized trials with 7,175 people found that andrographis eased cough and sore throat more than placebo in the trials that compared the two.2 In a placebo-controlled trial of 158 adults with colds, 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract eased every symptom measured by day 4.8 Start it at the first sign of a cold, as the trials did.

How much andrographis should I take?

For a cold, take 200 to 400 mg a day of a standardized extract or about 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract for 5 to 7 days, the amounts used in placebo-controlled trials of 223, 300 and 158 adults.6 7 8 My own prescription, for bronchitis, is 500 to 1,000 mg three times a day.5

When is the best time to take andrographis?

Take it at the first sign of a cold. In a placebo-controlled trial of 179 adults, people started an andrographis and eleuthero combination within 36 hours of their first symptoms and spent fewer days home sick than on placebo.3 For prevention, a placebo-controlled pilot trial of 107 students used two tablets a day through three winter months.16

Can you take andrographis every day?

Yes, through cold season. It's one of my longer-term prevention herbs, and in a placebo-controlled pilot trial of 107 students, two tablets a day for three months meant 30% caught a cold, against 62% on placebo.4 16 The longest trial, a placebo-controlled pilot of 25 people with multiple sclerosis, used 170 mg twice a day for 12 months.26

Why is andrographis called Indian echinacea?

Andrographis is called Indian echinacea because, like echinacea, it's a go-to herb for colds and infections, and it comes from India. That's how I describe it, and traditional Chinese medicine uses it for infectious diseases as well.4

Does andrographis have benefits for women?

Yes. Placebo-controlled trials of 158 and 223 adults with colds enrolled both women and men, and andrographis eased their symptoms, though the trials didn't report results for women separately.8 6 Skip it during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because there's no human safety data.14

What are andrographolides?

Andrographolides are the bitter compounds in andrographis and its main active ingredients, and standardized extracts are measured by how much they contain.12 3 In lab and animal studies, andrographolide slowed many viruses and stirred natural killer cells and T cells into action.21 The combination capsules in a placebo-controlled trial of 179 adults with colds delivered 60 mg of andrographolides a day.3

Does andrographis help with the flu?

It can help you recover faster. In two randomized studies in Volgograd, Russia, people with diagnosed flu who took an andrographis and eleuthero combination recovered more quickly, took shorter sick leave and had fewer complications after the flu than those on the antiviral drug amantadine; the first enrolled 540 people, 71 of them on the combination, and the second 66.19

Can children take andrographis?

Yes, with a product made for children, at the amount on its label. In a randomized trial of 133 children aged 4 to 11 with colds, an andrographis and eleuthero combination added to standard care eased symptoms, especially nasal discharge and congestion, sped recovery and cut the use of standard medicines, with no side effects reported.36

What are the side effects of andrographis?

Most side effects are mild, mainly stomach upset and rash: in a 2021 review of 10 randomized trials, about 1 in 10 people had a nonserious side effect.35 Rarely, andrographis causes a serious allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, so stop it at once and get emergency care with hives, swelling or wheezing; the safety section covers the rest.10

Does andrographis interact with medications?

Yes, its interaction check is Moderate. In lab and rat studies, andrographis slowed platelet clumping, raised warfarin levels and lowered blood pressure, and it stirs immune cells, so blood thinners, blood-pressure medicines and immune-suppressing medicines each need care; the safety section gives what to do for each.30 31 12 21

Freshness & update log

November 12, 2026 — Rewrote the page in full under Dr. Axe's byline. The previous version, "Andrographis Benefits Immunity, Cold Symptoms & More," gave no study's design or size, presented antibacterial lab screens and a 1992 cell study as proven benefits, listed heart disease, kidney disease and high cholesterol as uses without human trials, gave a 3 to 6 gram daily dose for fever, inflammation and pain that came from dried herb in one sore-throat trial, named ibuprofen as an interaction we couldn't trace to a source, and warned against use in all autoimmune disease although trials have tested it in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis. This version keeps its description of the herb and its Indian echinacea name, its long use in Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and across Asia and its place in at least 26 Ayurvedic formulas, its cooling, fever-lowering role, its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral findings (each labeled as lab or animal work), its cold, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis uses (now with each study's design, size and numbers), its traditional forms and how to use them, its dosage section (with the 300 mg four-times-a-day regimen and the ulcerative colitis dose, and the 3 to 6 grams correctly described), and its pregnancy, bleeding and blood-pressure cautions, now in one safety section with an interaction check (Moderate); adds Dr. Axe's own doses and Chinese medicine read, how andrographis works in your body, the cold-prevention, flu, children's, sore-throat spray and knee osteoarthritis trials, head-to-head results against acetaminophen and mesalazine, a Dr. Axe Score (7.1), an andrographis tea recipe, the allergy and liver findings and Australia's 2026 regulatory action, two charts and a step diagram; and drops the heart, kidney, cholesterol, diabetes, antibacterial and anticancer claims, the worms, eczema, gonorrhea and wound uses, the ibuprofen interaction and the blanket autoimmune warning, with 36 references.

November 13, 2020 — Previous version published.

References

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.

On this page

What is it?
What is it good for?
How it works
Benefits, ranked
When to take it
Chinese medicine and Ayurveda
How to use it
Dosage
Side effects
The bottom line
Should you take andrographis?
FAQ

Quick facts

What it isA bitter herb from India and Southeast Asia, Andrographis paniculata, called kalmegh in Ayurveda and chuan xin lian in Chinese medicine
Best forColds, sore throats and upper respiratory infections, at the first sign and through cold season
Studied for colds200 to 400 mg a day of a standardized extract, or 1,200 mg a day of a dried extract, for 5 to 7 days
Dr. Axe's dose500 to 1,000 mg three times a day, for bronchitis
Chinese medicineCold and bitter; clears heat; suits a cold that runs hot
Interaction checkModerate: blood thinners, blood-pressure medicines and immune-suppressing medicines

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