Kalmegh – Andrographis Paniculata
Scientific Name : Andrographis Paniculata
Common Name : Kalmegh
Source : Leaf
Composition : 10% , 20 % Andrographolides
Applications : Liver support
Andrographis Paniculata which is also called Kalmegh or “King of Bitters” belongs to family Acanthaceae. Andrographis Paniculata is an annual herb with dark green stems, slightly enlarged nodes. The leaves are dark green, arranged opposite decussate, lanceolate and pinnate. The flowers are small, in lax spreading axillary and terminal racemes or panicles.
This plant grows abundantly in southeastern Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Indonesia) but it is cultivated extensively in China and Thailand, the East and West Indies, and Mauritius.
The characteristic secondary metabolites encountered in the plant have considerably enhanced its importance in the arena of medicinal plants and medicines. A number of diterpenoids and diterpenoid glycosides of similar carbon skeleton have been isolated from Andrographis, mainly the most bitter compounds among them are andrographolide, neoandrographolide, deoxyandrographolide.
The aerial parts of the plant like the stem and the leaves are used to extract phytochemicals which have medicinal properties. The leaf of the plant consists of the highest amount of active constituents than the rest of the plant. Kalmegh has been used for centuries in Asia to treat gastrointestinal tract and upper respiratory infections, fever, herpes, sore throat, and a variety of other chronic and infectious diseases. In traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Andrographis is considered as the herb possessing an important “cold property” useful to treat fever, and to dispel toxins from the body. In Scandinavian countries, it is commonly used to prevent and treat common colds.
Kalmegh promotes digestion, Protects the liver and gall bladder from toxins, Kills intestinal worms, it has a remarkably beneficial effect in reducing diarrhea and symptoms arising from bacterial infections. It also helps in managing sugar levels in the body and helps in boosting immunity.
Herbochem’s Andrographis Paniculata extract is one of the highest quality extracts on the market. Herbochem has been exporting its Kalmegh extract around the globe for over a decade now.
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Technical Specifications
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Composition: 10% Andrographolides |
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| Description / Appearance | : | A Deep green to brown colored powder with characteristic odour , Very bitter taste and hygroscopic nature |
| Identification | : | By TLC |
| Solubility in 80% Alcohol | : | NLT 80% |
| pH of 1% w/v solution in water | : | 5.0 to 7.0 |
| Loss on drying | : | NMT 6.0% w/w |
| Andrographaloides | : | NLT 20% w/ w on dry basis |
| Heavy metals | : | NMT 20 ppm |
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Microbiology Tests |
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| a) Total Aerobic Microbial Count | : | NMT 5000 cfu/gm |
| b) Yeast & Mould | : | NMT 100 cfu/gm |
| c) Salmonella | : | Absent in 1 gram |
| d) Escherichia coli | : | Absent in 1 gram |
| e) Staphylococcus aureus | : | Absent in 1 gram |
