Efficacy and safety of Andrographis paniculata extract in patients with mild COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of Andrographis paniculata extract (APE) in adults with mild COVID-19. Methods: The alcoholic extract of the aerial part of A. paniculata was used. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, and mild symptoms were randomized 1:1 to receive APE (60 mg andrographolide, t.i.d, for 5 days) versus placebo, plus standard supportive care. Blood tests for CRP, liver and renal assessment were performed on Days 1, 3, and 5. The outcomes were occurrence of pneumonia detected by chest X-ray, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 detection by rRT-PCR, changes of CRP levels, and adverse drug reactions. Results: Patients were randomized to receive APE (n=29) or placebo (n=28). Pneumonia occurrence during illness was 0/29 (0%) versus 3/28 (10.7%), (p=0.039); and patients with nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 detection on Day 5 were 10/29 (34.5%) versus 16/28 (57.1%), (p=0.086), for those who received APE and placebo, respectively. All three patients with pneumonia had substantially rising serum CRP; and high CRP levels on Day 5. None had evidence of liver or renal impairment. Conclusion: This AP-extract treatment regimen was potentially effective and safe in adults with mild COVID-19. The rising of CRP suggested disease progression. Further studies are needed.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 29 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Penicillins for Treatment of Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Does In Vitro Resistance Really Matter?
- Thiophenes—Naturally Occurring Plant Metabolites: Biological Activities and In Silico Evaluation of Their Potential as Cathepsin D Inhibitors
- Inhalable Mannosylated Rifampicin–Curcumin Co-Loaded Nanomicelles with Enhanced In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy for an Optimized Pulmonary Tuberculosis Therapy
- Development and validation of microbial bioassay for quantification of Levofloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations
- GC-MS Analysis and Biomedical Therapy of Oil from n-Hexane Fraction of Scutellaria edelbergii Rech. f.: In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Approach
- Propranolol, chlorpromazine and diclofenac restore susceptibility of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-Acinetobacter baumannii to fluoroquinolones
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.