In these confirmatory experiments, efficacies of andrographolide
were compared with that of 5 mg/kg/d oral doses of the standard anxiolytic diazepam. Significantly reduced
body weights and elevated core temperatures of the three vehicle-treated control groups observed on the
5th day and subsequent observational days were completely absent even in the groups treated with the
lowest andrographolide dose (3 mg/kg/d) or diazepam (5 mg/kg/d). Benzodiazepine-like potentiation of
pentobarbital hypnosis was observed in andrographolide-treated animals. These observations reveal that
andrographolide is functionally a diazepam-like desensitizer of biological mechanisms, and processes
involved in stress trigger thermoregulatory and other physiological responses.