Andrographolide is a major bioactive secondary plant metabolite isolated Andrographis paniculata
(Burm. F.)Wall. Ex. Nees. (穿心蓮chuan x ın lian), awell-known traditionally usedmedicinal herb. The aim of
the study was to pharmacologically evaluate the beneficial effect of andrographolide on stress-induced
thermoregulatory and other physiological responses in mice. A stress-induced hyperthermia test was
conducted in mice. The test agents were orally administered once daily for 11 consecutive days, and
treatment effects on body weight changes, basal rectal temperature, and foot-shock-triggered hyperthermic
responses were quantified on Day 1, Day 5, Day 7, and Day 10 of the experiments. Pentobarbital-induced
hypnosis was quantified on the 11th day of treatment. Observations made during a pilot dose finding
experiment revealed that, like A. paniculata extracts, pure andrographolide also possess adaptogenic
properties. Observed dose-dependent efficacies of 3 mg/kg/d,10 mg/kg/d, and 30 mg/kg/d andrographolide
in the pilot experiment were reconfirmed by conducting two further analogous experiments using separate
groups of either male or female mice.