Andrographis paniculata grows widely in the tropical area
of Asia, and belongs to the acanthaceae family. It has an
annual growth of 30–70 cm height. Its common name is King
of Bitters. In Thailand, this plant has been extensively used
for traditional medicine and helps against fever, dysentery,
diarrhea, inflammation, and sore throat. Furthermore, it is
a promising new way for the treatment of many diseases,
including HIV, AIDS, and numerous symptoms associated
with immune disorders [1].
The objective of this work is to study the solid–liquid
extraction of andrographolide. The first part deals with
physicochemical properties acquisition from the dried raw
plant. Then, in a second part, batch reactor experiments are
performed in order to identify the influence of the operating
parameters. In the third part, a mass transfer model is
proposed, taking into account the differences in shapes of
plant parts (leaves and stems) and initial concentrations of
the solute in the solid. The model is then compared with
experimental data.
From a global point of view, this work will allow us to
choose the good solvent and to identify the influence of the
main operating parameters. This study will be integrated
in a classical pharmaceutical industry methodology as the
first step of the development and the implementation of a
complete process.