Andrographis paniculata (AP) is a traditional herb known as “king of
bitters” and belongs to Acanthaceae. This plant is used traditionally to treat fever, sore
throat, snake bites, and upper respiratory tract infections. The pharmacological effects
exhibited by AP are actually due to the presence of several classes of phytocompounds.
Among the numerous bioactive compounds generated by Androgrpahis paniculata,
Andrographolide (AG) is the primary active phytochemical. This compound shows
various biological functions, such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial,
neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and organ- and bone-protective activities. On the
other hand, AG's structural analogs also showed various potent biological effects against different kinds of dreadful diseases. Hence, it is noteworthy to summarize the
various pharmacological effects of AG and its analogs to help the researchers focus on
this area. Therefore, in this chapter, we elaborated on various biological functions of
AG and its derivatives; this review would be a standalone reference for AG's bioactives and analogs.
Keywords: Andrographolide, Analogs, Andrographis paniculata, Bioactive compounds, Pharmacological activities