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Published 21 February 2021
Andrographis paniculata belongs to the family Acanthaceae. It is an erect branched annual. The leaves are lanceolate and the flowers are small, white with a rose coloured mark. The seeds are many, rugosely pitted and yellowish brown when dry.
Here comes the king of bitters! That name fits it perfectly because it is very bitter. I have the powdered form of the leaves and without even tasting it, each time I open the container it is kept, I feel the bitter taste in my throat! My mum visited, so, because I have told her so much about the plant, I opened the bowl I kept it in for her to see. She also felt the bitterness in her throat as I opened it. I was almost rolling on the floor laughing when she said, “I can smell something as you opened the bowl.” I reminded her that she does not have the sense of smell (it is hereditary for her). I told her it was the bitterness of the herb that she felt in her throat. It is sometimes