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Microbiome and M.E.

 

Andrographolide

Andrographolide (AG) is not just any herb. In fact, it’s not an herb at all. It’s a chemical compound that comes from an herb called Andrographis paniculata found in India, China, and Australia. Andrographolide is used extensively in Chinese and Indian medicine. While its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antivirus, antitumor, and cardiovascular protecting properties have excited many, its low bioavailability has been a problem. That problem has prompted much work to create more potent derivatives.

AG has been well studied, leaving the medical literature studded with reviews. Over the past couple of decades, hundreds of derivatives have been developed and bioavailability has been improved. A 2020 review of the many efforts made to improve the usefulness of this unique compounddemonstrated how active the andrographolide field is. There’s clearly still work to be done, though. While lauding the “ancient mighty herb” – and its perhaps mighty compound – a 2018 Chinese review asserted that better forms are needed.

Whatever better andrographolide forms come along, it’s still apparently pretty potent. A 2017 review of andrographolide’s antiviral and immune properties reported that it does something that might be quite helpful in ME/CFS – boosts cytotoxic T cell and natural killer (NK) cell functioning. Two more recent reviews lauded it for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, and neuroprotective properties. 

To wit – andrographolide has generated a lot of interest. This is the first time, though, this “wonder compound” has shown up in Gulf War Illness, ME/CFS, or fibromyalgia. (Quite a few studies have been focused on its potential effects on the coronavirus, though).

Chatterjee’s latest study “Andrographolide Attenuates Gut-Brain-Axis Associated Pathology in Gulf War Illness by Modulating Bacteriome-Virome Associated Inflammation and Microglia-Neuron Proinflammatory Crosstalk“, was a mouthful – and for good reason – it was quite a complex effort.

The authors (which again included Nancy Klimas) found that AG restored the mouse microflora, and improved it by increasing the abundance of two bacteria species (Lachnospiraceae, Akkermansia),which are both “immensely helpful in maintaining robust gut and immune health”.


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