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CLASSIFICATION

ORDER	: Lamiales
FAMILY	: Acanthaceae
GENUS	: Andrographis Wall.ex Nees
SPECIES	: paniculata (Burm.f.)
BOTANICAL NAME	: Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall.exNees
SYNONYMS	: ---
COMMON NAME	: Green chiretta.
TAMIL NAME	: Nilavembu
HINDI NAME	: Hara chirayata.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

HABIT :  An erect, annual, 20 - 200 cm high.

STEM :  Often winged in the upper part, base not pubescent.

LEAVES :  5 - 8 x 1.5 - 2.5 cm glabrous, lanceolate, acute, never spathulate, main nerves 4 - 7 pairs, slender, petioles very small.

INFLORESCENCE :  Solitary or in axillary racemes.

FLOWERS :  3 - 10 cm, pedicels very small, usually pubescent, bracts 0.2 cm long, linear, bracteoles smaller or absent. Sepals 0.4 cm long, linear-lanceolate, corolla 1.2 - 2 cm long, bilipped, white, tube 6 mm long, slightly enlarged, below the limb, upper lip oblong, 2 - toothed at the apex, lower lip deeply 3 - toothed. Anther bearded at the base, filaments more or less hirsute, flattened. Ovary glabrous, styles usually pubescent.

FRUIT :  Capsules 2 x 0.5 cm, when young slightly glandular - hairy, when mature glabrous, 12 - seeded, linear - oblong.

SEEDS :  Rugose, sub - quadrate, yellow or deep - brown.

FLOWERING AND FRUITING TIME :  May to October.

MEDICINAL USES

Andrographis paniculata is one of the highly used potential medicinal plants in the world.

This plant is traditionally used for the treatment of common cold, diarrhoea, fever due to several infective cause, jaundice, as a health tonic for the liver and cardiovascular health, and as an antioxidant.

It has been used by traditional medical practitioners for stomachaches, inflammation, pyrexia, and intermittent fevers.

IMAGES

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