Evidence supporting the use of: Green chiretta
For the health condition: Cholera

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata) has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems across South and Southeast Asia, including Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Historically, green chiretta was employed as a general remedy for infections, fevers, and gastrointestinal disturbances, which included symptoms common to cholera, such as diarrhea and dehydration. The plant’s bitter compounds, particularly andrographolide, were believed to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Ancient practitioners prescribed decoctions or extracts of green chiretta to help reduce the severity of diarrheal diseases, including cholera, especially in the context of limited access to modern oral rehydration therapy and antibiotics.

However, while there are in vitro and animal studies indicating some antimicrobial activity of green chiretta extracts, direct scientific evidence supporting its efficacy against Vibrio cholerae—the bacterium responsible for cholera—is limited. The use of green chiretta for cholera is therefore largely based on tradition and historical practice rather than robust clinical evidence. Modern clinical studies have primarily focused on its role in upper respiratory infections and non-specific diarrhea, not cholera specifically. Thus, its use for cholera is justified by historical/traditional precedent, with only a modest rating for evidence due to the lack of targeted clinical trials.

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