King of Bitter is regarded as the bitterest plant which is used in traditional medicine. It is also called Bile of the Earth due to its bitterness.
It contains anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and antiseptic properties that assist the overall functions of the body. Native to Southern China, Vietmam, Malaysia and Indonesia, it has history of use from long time ago. It is an herb that reduces fever, eliminates intestinal parasites and enhances appetite. It possesses antibacterial properties and helps to treat the health ailments such as malaria, liver, influenza and digestive ailments. It also possesses antihepatotoxic, antimalarial, antibiotic, antihepatitic, antiinflammatory, antithrombogenic, antipyretic and anti-snake venom properties.
| Name | King of Bitters |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Andrographis paniculata |
| Native | Native to Sri Lanka and India |
| Common/English Name | Creat, Nilavembu, Green chireta, Chuan Xin Lian, Kirayat, King of Bitters kalmegh, India echinacea, sambiloto, kiryat |
| Name in Other Languages | Punjabi: Chooraita; Assamese: Chirota; Arabic: Quasabhuva; Marathi: Oli-kiryata, kadu kirayata; Bengali: Kālmegh, Kalmegh, Kalomegh, Kalpanath, Mohatita; Oriya: Chireita, Bhuinimba; Chinese: Si fang lian, Chuan Xin Lian, Persian: Naine-havandi, Gujarati: Kariyatu, Sanskrit: Kālamegha, Bhuinimb, Bhūnimba, Mahateet, Kirata, Mahatikta, Hindi: Kirayat, Tamil: Nila Vembu, Siriyaa Nangai, Kannada: Nelabevu, Malayalam: Kiriyathth, NilavEpp, Telugu: Nelavemaa, Malay: Hempedu Bumi, Bahasa Indonesia: Sambiroto, Sambiloto, Tagalog: Aluy, Sinta, Likha, Serpentina, Thai: Fa Thalai Chon, Khmer: Smau pramat manuss, Lao: La Xa Bee, Sinhalese: Hīn Kohomba, Hīn Bīm Kohomba, Heen Kohomba, Heen Bim Kohomba, Vietnamese: Xuyên Tâm Liên, French: roi des amers, Chinese: Si fang lian, chuan xin lian, Gujarati: Olikiriyat, Kiriyata, Hindi: Bhuinimb, Kiryat, Kalmegh, Mahatit, Japanese: Senshinren, Andorogurafizu paniikuraata, Kannada: Nelabevu gida, Malayalam: Kiriyatta, Nilaveppu, Marathi: Olen Kirayat, Russian: Андрографис Andrografis, Thai: Fa thalai chon, Marma: Kojomi, Chirota, Assam: Chiorta |
| Plant Growth Habit | Annual, herbaceous, evergreen, deciduous |
| Plant Size | 30-100 cm (12-43 inches) |
| Stem | Slender, dark green |
| Leaf | Opposite, egg shaped, simple, lance shaped; Length: 8 cm (3.1 inch) by 2.5 cm (0.98 inch) |
| Flower | White |
| Fruit shape & size | Capsule, Length: 2 cm (0.79 inch); Wide: few millimeters |
| Taste | Bitter |
| Seed | Yellow to brown |
| Seeds weight (1Kg) | 597000-600000 seeds |
| Health Benefits |
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| Precautions |
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