ANDROGRAPHIS (Andrographis paniculata) *Organic herb for horses - immune-fortifying, detox-supporting, inflammation-calming powerhouse
Benefits of Andrographis for Horses
Known as the ‘King of Bitters,’ Andrographis is a potent adaptogenic traditionally used to strengthen the body’s natural defences.
Bitter by nature, brilliant by design - Andrographis is a cooling, detoxifying botanical that’s long trusted in Eastern traditions. It supports immune resilience, digestive balance, and liver detox - especially during acute infections or seasonal immune dips.
Its active compounds, andrographolides
, help modulate inflammation, support liver detox pathways, and promote resilience under stress - a strong ally for immune balance and whole-body vitality.
Note: This a nutritional, functional food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more information, refer to Dr Kellon's Horse Sense - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy
.
Find Andrographis in the EquiNatural range
Here's where you'll also find andrographis across our supplement range:
- LiverCARE - supports healthy equine liver function
- LymeCARE - Lyme disease restoration programme
- OptimaCARE - a comprehensive 3-stage full-body detox for equine vitality
- SiboCARE - effective equine hindgut dysbiosis/SIBO stabiliser
Composition & Feed Guide
💧Organic Andrographis Tincture
Our human-grade, certified organic tinctures give you a ready-to-absorb potent source of phytonutrients at the highest-strength available, for immediate absorption straight into the bloodstream and to the body’s cells.
- Andrographis paniculata, Dried Herb
- Infused 1:3 35%
- Organic Cultivated
~ Feed Guide - 6ml/100kg bodyweight, daily in feed.
🌿Organic Andrographis Herb
Grown, harvested and dried without the use of agri-chemicals, non-irradiated and GMO free - see our Quality page for Quality Management & Certification Documents.
- Andrographis paniculata, Dried Herb
- Wild Harvested
- Origin India
~ Feed Guide - 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.
Functional Nutritional Value
Constituents: Diterpene dimers, diterpenoid lactones (andrographolides), flavonoids, xanthones (root)
Footnotes
- Laboratory tested for identification and compliance to the British and European Pharmacopoeia standards.
- Human grade.
- Please be aware that if you're purchasing our dried botanicals for human use, our dried range is cut to appropriate sizes for feeding to horses.
- ♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.
- 🧊 Storage Tip: Keep cool and dry.
Clinical Considerations
Andrographis is a well-established botanical traditionally used for gut and immune balance, and is generally considered suitable for longer-term use when fed at recommended levels.
Advisories
- Due to its naturally strong bitterness, it’s best avoided in horses with known gastric ulcers.
- Quality matters: some commercial preparations have been found adulterated or lacking active andrographolide content.
Not suitable for
• Pregnant or nursing mares.
• Horses on long-term immune-suppressing or blood-thinning medication unless advised by a vet.
Andrographis in History & Tradition
If herbs had personality types, andrographis would be the stern-but-wise elder who strides in, takes one look at the chaos, and says, “Right. Enough of that.” No fuss, no frills - just pure, bitter brilliance.
Lovingly (and accurately) dubbed the “King of Bitters,” this herb has anchored traditional medicine across India and Southeast Asia for centuries. In Ayurveda, it’s the classic antidote to anything hot, inflamed, sluggish, or toxic. It cools pitta , steadies kapha , rekindles digestive fire ( agni ), and clears out the metabolic clutter ( ama ) that tends to gather when the body’s working too hard and getting nowhere.
Hop over to Traditional Chinese Medicine and you’ll find the same reverence. There, andrographis is the herb you reach for when things feel too hot, too fiery, or too irritated - throat, lungs, skin, digestion, you name it. If it’s inflamed, Andrographis has probably been used for it.
A herb with range
Traditional healers used andrographis for fevers, flus, sluggish digestion, liver stagnation, and even - rather dramatically - snake bites. It was the sort of herb you kept on hand because it could step into so many roles without losing its cool.
Modern research has now caught up with what herbalists already knew. Today, andrographis is being studied for:
- Immune modulation
- Liver support
- Digestive balance
- Feverish and seasonal challenges
- And even some early research exploring its effects on cancer cell behaviour
Most of this attention centres around andrographolide , its star compound, which has a knack for calming inflammation and encouraging the immune system to respond more intelligently rather than more aggressively.
How it works in practice
Despite its dramatic title, the “King of Bitters” doesn’t sweep in with a heavy hand. Instead, it behaves like a botanical circuit breaker.
Too much heat? It cools. Too much inflammation? It calms. Liver feeling like it’s running old software? It reboots. Gut stuck in a loop? It reminds it how to behave.
It’s particularly helpful in the acute phase of immune challenges - that early point where things are brewing but not yet boiling over.
And for horses? This is where it truly shines.
Why horses benefit
Andrographis has a natural affinity for the liver, and horses need all the support they can get in that department - especially after big asks like antibiotics, wormers, vaccinations, gut stress, or environmental toxins. It gives the liver that gentle-but-firm nudge to move things along, clear heat, and restore balance.
It’s also wonderfully supportive during seasonal transitions, when immune systems wobble, the gut may get a bit temperamental, and the weather can’t decide what it’s doing. Its bitter profile acts like a digestive reset button, helping restore rhythm, appetite, and digestive tone.
In short? Andrographis is the herb you want on your team when things feel overheated, overstressed, or overstimulated. The one that steps in, sweeps the room with a raised eyebrow, and brings everything back to centre.
A strong herb, yes - but an incredibly wise one.
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