Approximately 1 million people in the US have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disabling autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Because it disrupts blood flow between the brain and the rest of the body, it can cause symptoms such as numbness, fatigue, weakness, speech problems, blurry vision and allodynia, a neuropathic pain that makes the most innocuous movements – such as brushing one’s hair – painful.
MS symptoms are widely variable and appear and disappear spontaneously; this is known as a relapsing-remitting disease course.
Research into solutions to manage symptoms is mounting, but research into how to provide neurological support is also mounting, and one potential herb researchers are investigating is Andrographis paniculata.
This research summary is presented purely for educational purposes, as the FDA prohibits marketing herbs for disease treatment. At HP Ingredients, we believe that telling the full story helps formulators be more precise in product development and also increases confidence in working with the herb.
Mouse Research
Studies in mice have revealed that Andrographis was able to stimulate neurogenesis and manage neuroinflammation.
In one study, Andrographis administration for 4 weeks strongly induced cell proliferation and the generation of newborn neurons (stimulating neurogenesis, increased density of immature neurons, and increased percentage of the granular cell layer).
In another study, APP/PS-1 mice showed higher staining for the marker of astroglial inflammatory reaction glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP) than wild-type animals. The perikaryon area of astrocyte cells and the astroglial GFAP intensity in the hippocampus were significantly decreased in animals administered Andrographis in comparison with untreated APP-PS1 mice, reducing them to levels similar to those of wild-type mice, suggesting that Andrographis may be effective in normalizing neuroinflammatory status.
Two Human Studies
Since fatigue is rated as one of the most common and disabling symptoms in MS, a 12-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial[i] was conducted assessing the effects of 340 mg/day of NeuroActin® standardized Andrographis (50% andrographolide) extract on relapse rate and fatigue in 22 participants with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) receiving interferon beta. This assessment was done using the Fatigue Severity Scores (FSS). Results were that patients treated with NeuroActin® Andrographis showed a significant 44% reduction in their FSS score as compared to the placebo. Researchers concluded that Andrographis was well tolerated in patients, and it significantly reduces fatigue in individuals with RRMS receiving interferon beta in comparison to placebo and only interferon beta treatment.
Two other key results were the appearance of no new T2 lesions in the Andrographis group, compared to 50% in placebo, and no new gadolinium in the Andrographis group, compared to 62.5% in the placebo group.
Another 24-month clinical trial [ii] explored the efficacy and safety of 170mg of NeuroActin® (99% andrographolide) compared to placebo in 44 participants with not active primary or secondary progressive MS. The primary efficacy endpoint, the mean percentage brain volume change (mPBVC), was -0.679% for the AP group and -1.069% for the placebo group. The NeuroActin® group had 36.5% fewer changes in Annualized Percentage Brain Volume and 75% fewer changes in Annualized Brain Parenchymal Fraction compared to placebo.
In the 3-month confirmed disability progression (3-CDP), the NeuroActin® group was reduced from 80% to 30% vs 59% to 41% in the placebo group. The average mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) change was reduced by -0.025 in the NeuroActin® group and increased by +0.352 in the placebo group (p=0.04).
In conclusion, NeuroActin® was well tolerated and showed a potential effect in reducing brain atrophy and disability progression that needs to be further evaluated in a larger clinical trial.
Andrographis paniculata Patent for MS
The research on Andrographis was sufficiently compelling and novel that two U.S. patents were awarded: US 9,060,999 B2 “Combination Therapy with Interferon & Andrographolides for Multiple Sclerosis” and US 10,722,492 B2 “Andrographolide Treats Progressive Forms of Multiple Sclerosis”.
For more information about Multiple Sclerosis, visit the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America at www.mymsaa.org and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at www.nationalmssociety.org.
[i] Bertoglio JC, Baumgartner M, Palma R, et al. Andrographis paniculata decreases fatigue in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 12-month double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Neurol. 2016 May 23;16:77. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4877819/ [ii] Ciampi E, Uribe-San-Martin R, Cárcamo C. Efficacy of andrographolide in not active progressive multiple sclerosis: a prospective exploratory double-blind, parallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Neurol. 2020 May 7;20(1):173. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7203851/For more information, please contact: info@hpingredients.com
