Andrographolide is the bitter principle, a colorless and neutral crystalline substance. It is the major labdane diterpenoid isolated from Andrographis paniculate. It exhibits antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. The underlying mechanism is the inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling (specifically p38 MAPK/ERK1/2) pathway and downstream transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Andrographolide is also confirmed with chemopreventive effects against and the inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth in breast, colon, epidermoid, gastric, liver, leukemia, myeloma, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and prostate cancers.
