Bhunimba (Kalmegh) in Ayurveda: Properties & Everyday Use

What it is

Bhunimba is an Ayurvedic name for Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, an intensely bitter herb of the Acanthaceae family widely known as kalmegh or the "king of bitters" (Herbal Reality monograph; Nature study). In Ayurvedic materia medica it is also known as bhunimba, "neem of the earth," for its bitter, neem-like taste and effects (same monograph). Its major bioactive constituent is andrographolide (evidence review).

Classical properties

• Taste (rasa): bitter (Tikta)
• Qualities (guna): light (Laghu)
• Potency (virya): cooling (Sheeta)
• After digestion (vipaka): pungent (Katu)
• Doshas: traditionally said to settle Pitta; may increase Vata

Traditional use

Andrographis paniculata has traditionally been used in Indian and Chinese herbal medicine for cough, cold, and influenza (Hu et al. 2017, PLOS ONE), and in Ayurveda as a bitter tonic and general stomach remedy (Herbal Reality monograph). Tradition is not clinical proof. The trial evidence gets its own section below.

What research has looked at

Acute respiratory tract infections (cough, sore throat, common cold)

The largest synthesis is a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis in PLOS ONE covering 33 randomized controlled trials with 7,175 patients (Hu et al. 2017). Compared with placebo, A. paniculata improved cough (596 patients; standardized mean difference −0.39, 95% CI −0.67 to −0.10) and sore throat (314 patients; SMD −1.13, 95% CI −1.37 to −0.89). It also shortened the duration of cough, sore throat, and sick leave/time to recovery compared with usual care. No major adverse events were reported; minor ones were mainly gastrointestinal. The authors' own caveat is the part that matters most: the methodological quality of the included trials was overall poor, most trials used commercial products with seldom-reported manufacturing or quality-control details, and heterogeneity was substantial (Hu et al. 2017).

An earlier, smaller meta-analysis (4 trials; 433 patients across the 3 trials that entered the analysis) reached a similar conclusion: A. paniculata alone or in a fixed combination with Acanthopanax senticosus was more effective than placebo for uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection, with a 10.85-point difference favoring the herb on the symptom-severity score (95% CI 10.36–11.34, P < 0.0001) (Poolsup et al., Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics).

Pharyngotonsillitis (sore throat with fever)

In a 1991 randomized, double-blind trial, 152 Thai adults with pharyngotonsillitis received paracetamol, a lower dose of A. paniculata, or a higher dose of A. paniculata for 7 days. The authors reported that the higher dose gave fever and sore-throat relief at day 3 similar to the paracetamol group; by day 7 the groups no longer differed. Minimal, self-limiting side effects occurred in about 20% of each group (Thamlikitkul et al., J Med Assoc Thai). One old, small trial: preliminary, and not a treatment. Never use it in place of, or alongside, prescribed medicine without your doctor.

Common cold (standardized extract)

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the standardized extract SHA-10 found it reduced the intensity of tiredness, sleeplessness, and sore throat versus placebo in a duration-dependent manner, with 4 days of treatment outperforming 2 days (Cáceres et al., reviewed in).

Limitations of the evidence

The signal is consistent across reviews, but the foundation is weak: small, often poorly reported trials, frequent use of combination products, and little standardization of extracts. Nothing here establishes A. paniculata as a substitute for medical care of respiratory infections, and well-designed trials are still needed (Hu et al. 2017).

Safety notes

The meta-analysis found no major adverse events, with minor ones mainly gastrointestinal (Hu et al. 2017). That reassurance has limits, and they matter. Case reports of anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock after Andrographis products exist, along with reports of elevated liver enzymes (AST/ALT) in some users (Scientific Reports study). Australia's TGA has issued a formal safety advisory: andrographis may cause sudden, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, including in people who previously used it without any reaction, and by 31 December 2025 the TGA had received 287 anaphylaxis reports linked to andrographis medicines, including one fatal case in 2024 (TGA safety advisory). On 17 September 2026 the TGA removed Andrographis paniculata from the Permissible Ingredients Determination, meaning it can no longer be used in new listed medicines in Australia. Most of those reports involved multi-ingredient products, which complicates attribution, but the signal is real.

Avoid Andrographis during pregnancy: animal studies show antifertility effects, and abortifacient effects have been documented in drug references (Drugs.com monograph). Talk to a clinician before use if you take prescription medicines or have an ongoing medical condition. Stop use and seek care immediately for any sign of allergic reaction (rash, swelling, breathing difficulty).

FAQs

Does kalmegh help with colds and cough?

Possibly, but the evidence is weak. A 2017 meta-analysis of 33 RCTs found it improved cough and sore throat and shortened illness compared with placebo, but the trials were of poor quality (Hu et al. 2017). It is not a cure and not a substitute for medical care.

How does it compare with paracetamol for sore throat?

One small 1991 trial in adults with pharyngotonsillitis compared A. paniculata with paracetamol and reported similar symptom scores at day 3, with no difference between groups by day 7 (Thamlikitkul et al.). This is a single old trial and preliminary evidence, not a treatment. Never use it in place of, or alongside, prescribed medicine without your doctor.

How quickly does it work?

In the trials, symptom improvements were measured over days, not hours. The SHA-10 cold trial found 4 days of treatment worked better than 2 (reviewed in). It is not an instant remedy.

Is kalmegh safe?

Short courses in trials were generally well tolerated with mostly mild stomach upset (Hu et al. 2017). However, severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis have been reported, and some users showed elevated liver enzymes (Scientific Reports study). Anyone with a history of allergies should be especially cautious.

Can it be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Avoid it. Animal data show antifertility effects, and drug references document abortifacient effects (Drugs.com monograph).

Can kalmegh prevent or treat COVID-19?

No established role. One double-blind randomized trial (165 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients; Andrographis extract for 5 days vs placebo) found no reduction in COVID-19 progression overall. Only faster relief of headache and loss of smell, with mild diarrhea as the main side effect (Kanokkangsadal et al. 2023). Follow public-health guidance for COVID-19.

Sources

• Hu XY et al. "Andrographis paniculata (Chuān Xīn Lián) for symptomatic relief of acute respiratory tract infections in adults and children: A systematic review and meta-analysis." PLOS ONE. 2017;12(8):e0181780: PMC · PMC5544222 and PubMed · PMID 28783743
• Thamlikitkul V et al. "Efficacy of Andrographis paniculata, Nees for pharyngotonsillitis in adults." J Med Assoc Thai. 1991;74(10):437–442: PubMed · PMID 1797953
• Poolsup N et al. "Andrographis paniculata in the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection: systematic review of randomized controlled trials." J Clin Pharm Ther. 2004: PubMed · PMID 14748896
• "Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology of Andrographis paniculata and Its Major Bioactive Phytoconstituent Andrographolide." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (review): PMC · PMC3619690
• Scientific Reports (Nature): cross-sectional study noting anaphylaxis reports and AST/ALT elevations with A. paniculata use: nature.com
• Drugs.com: Andrographis monograph (adverse reactions, pregnancy, toxicology): drugs.com
• Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration: "Medicines containing Andrographis paniculata safety advisory" (anaphylaxis risk, 287 reports to 31 Dec 2025 incl. one fatal case; on 17 Sep 2026 the TGA removed Andrographis from the Permissible Ingredients Determination): tga.gov.au
• "Andrographis paniculata extract versus placebo in the treatment of COVID-19: a double-blinded randomized control trial." PMC: PMC · PMC11246112

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.