Herb & supplement monograph

Andrographis Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Andrographis interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Andrographis is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Andrographis is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Andrographis Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Andrographis drug interaction appears low for most people, since every known concern comes from animal or laboratory research rather than proven effects in humans. None of the several hundred listed interactions is rated major, and all carry a low likelihood grade because they rest on theoretical findings, not human studies.

Interactions deserving the most attention

Three groups deserve the closest look. Because andrographis showed antiplatelet effects in lab and animal work, we would watch it most carefully alongside anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs, where even a small added bleeding effect matters. Animal research also hints it could lower blood pressure, which could add to blood pressure medications. Finally, lab studies suggest it may stimulate the immune system, which could work against immunosuppressants, medicines that transplant patients and others rely on staying steady.

What the rest of the list means

The long list of moderate interactions does not mean each combination is harmful. Most reflect these same three theoretical concerns applied across many medications. In the few drug-specific animal studies, such as those with celecoxib and glipizide, the changes seen were small and their real-world importance is unclear.

Check your medications against Andrographis

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Andrographis interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Andrographis

413 medications have a known interaction with Andrographis, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Andrographis using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Andrographis interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Andrographis combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Andrographis affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Andrographis is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 6 drug categories Andrographis interacts with

Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsAntihypertensive DrugsImmunosuppressantsCelecoxib (celebrex)Etoricoxib (arcoxia)Glipizide (glucotrol)

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, andrographis might increase the risk of bleeding when used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Animal and laboratory studies suggest that andrographis has antiplatelet effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Antihypertensive Drugs

Theoretically, andrographis might increase the risk of hypotension when used with antihypertensive drugs.
Animal research suggests that andrographis has hypotensive effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Immunosuppressants

Theoretically, andrographis might interfere with the effects of immunosuppressive drugs.
Laboratory research suggests that andrographolide has immunostimulant activity.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Celecoxib (Celebrex)

Theoretically, andrographis extract might increase the maximum concentration and time to peak concentration of celecoxib. The clinical significance of these changes is unclear.
Animal research suggests that andrographis extract taken orally increases the maximum concentration and time to peak concentration of celecoxib but does not appear to impact the area under the curve.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Etoricoxib (Arcoxia)

Theoretically, andrographis might decrease the absorption of etoricoxib, although the clinical significance is unclear.
Animal research shows that andrographis extract, or the constituent andrographolide, taken orally with etoricoxib decreases the bioavailability of etoricoxib. However, this reduced bioavailability is not correlated with a reduction in the anti-inflammatory effects of etoricoxib in arthritic mice models. The clinical significance of this interaction is unclear.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Glipizide (Glucotrol)

Theoretically, andrographis extract might increase the maximum concentration and area under the curve of glipizide; however, opposite effects are seen with the constituent, andrographolide. The clinical significance of this interaction is unclear.
Animal research suggests that andrographis extract taken orally with glipizide in diabetes-induced rats increases the maximum concentration and area under the curve of glipizide. However, the opposite effect is seen with the constituent, andrographolide, in which the maximum concentration and area under the curve are decreased when taken with glipizide.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Andrographis: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Andrographis is a bitter Asian herb traditionally used for colds, flu, and infections, and some studies suggest it may ease cold symptoms and shorten how long they last. The evidence is limited and the quality of studies varies, so it should not replace standard care. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy.

Scientific name: Andrographis paniculata
Family: Acanthaceae
Part used: Leaves and above-ground (aerial) parts
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, tinctures, teas, and standardized extracts

People commonly use it for

Common cold and flu symptoms
Upper respiratory infections
Sore throat
Fever
Immune support
Digestive complaints

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Often well tolerated short-term, but quality of products and long-term safety are not well established.

PregnancyPossibly Unsafe

When used orally. Andrographis is thought to have abortifacient effects; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) is a bitter-tasting plant native to South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, and China. It has been used for centuries in traditional systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Because some people use it for immune-related complaints, it is sometimes nicknamed "Indian echinacea."

The leaves and the above-ground parts of the plant are used to make supplements. Andrographis is commonly taken for colds, flu, sore throat, fever, and general immune support. It is sold as capsules, tablets, tinctures, teas, and standardized extracts.

How it works

Andrographis contains a group of compounds called andrographolides, and many supplements are standardized to a certain amount of andrographolide. These compounds are thought to be responsible for most of the plant's effects.

Laboratory and animal studies suggest that andrographolides may have anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties, and may affect how the body responds to viruses. Some research also points to possible antioxidant effects.

It is important to know that much of this information comes from test-tube and animal research. How well these effects apply to people taking the herb is still not fully understood.

Effectiveness

Does Andrographis work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 19 uses evaluated

3 Possibly effective 1 Leans ineffective 15 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Osteoarthritis