Review

Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds in Andrographis paniculata (Chuanxinlian)

Wen-Wan Chao and Bi-Fong Lin^*

• * Corresponding author: Bi-Fong Lin bifong@ntu.edu.tw

Author Affiliations

Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan

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Chinese Medicine 2010, 5:17 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-5-17

Published: 13 May 2010

Abstract

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees (Acanthaceae) is a medicinal plant used in many countries. Its major constituents are diterpenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols. Among the single compounds extracted from A. paniculata, andrographolide is the major one in terms of bioactive properties and abundance. Among the andrographolide analogues, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide is immunostimulatory, anti-infective and anti-atherosclerotic; neoandrographolide is anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and anti-hepatotoxic; 14-deoxyandrographolide is immunomodulatory and anti-atherosclerotic. Among the less abundant compounds from A. paniculata, andrograpanin is both anti-inflammatory and anti-infective; 14-deoxy-14,15-dehydroandrographolide is anti-inflammatory; isoandrographolide, 3,19-isopropylideneandrographolide and 14-acetylandrographolide are tumor suppressive; arabinogalactan proteins are anti-hepatotoxic. The four flavonoids from A. paniculata, namely 7-O-methylwogonin, apigenin, onysilin and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid are anti-atherosclerotic.