Kalmegh is an annual herb found through India, specially in dense forests.It is under cultivation in many states of India. It is a plant that is native to South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka. The leaf and underground stem are used to make medicine.

 Botanical Name – Andrographis peniculata

English Name: Creat , Green Chirayta, King of bitters.

Common (Indian) Name:

Hindi: Kalmegh, Kiryat, Mahatit,
Gujrati: Kiriyata, Olikiriyat
Marathi: Olen Kirayat,
Canarese: Nelabevu gida
Sanskrit: Bhuinimb, Kirata, Mahateet 
Malyalam: Nilaveppu, Kiriyatta,
Telugu: Nela Vemu
Tamil: Nilavempui

Chinese – Chuanxinlian

Arabic: Qusabhuva

According to Ayurveda the plant is bitter, acrid, cooling, laxative, vulnerary, antipyretic, antiperiodic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, depurative, soporific, anthelmintic, digestive and useful in hyperdispsia, buring sensation, wounds, ulcers, chronic fever, malarial and intermittent fevers, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, skin diseases, leprosy, colic, flatulence, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids etc. Kalmegh is also a reputed Homoeopathic drug. In Bengal (India), household medicine known as "Alui" is prepared from fresh leaves and is given to children suffering from stomach complaints. Recent experimental finding indicated that Kalmegh is having antityphoid and antibiotic properties. It has been proved to be hepatopratective drug.

Benefits

1)      Andrographis is frequently used for preventing and treating the common cold and flu(influenza).

2)      Andrographis is also used for a wide assortment of other conditions. It is used for digestive complaints including diarrhea, constipation, intestinal gas, colic, andstomach pain;

3)      It is used for liver treatment including an enlarged liver, jaundice, and liver damage due to medications;

4)       Also used to cure infections including leprosy, pneumonia,tuberculosis, gonorrhea,  syphilis, malaria,  cholera,  leptospirosis,  rabies, sinusitis, and HIV/AIDS; and for skin conditions including wounds, ulcers and itchiness.

5)      Some people use andrographis for sore throat, coughs, swollen tonsils, bronchitis, and allergies. It is also used for “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), and prevention of heart disease and diabetes.

6)      Other uses include treatment of snake and insect bites, loss of appetite, kidneyproblems (pyelonephritis), hemorrhoids, and an inherited condition called familial Mediterranean fever.

7)      Andrographis is also used as an astringent, bacteria killing agent, painkiller, fever reducer, and treatment for worms

Chemical Constituents: Kalmegh contains bitter principles andrographolide, a bicyclic diterpenoid lactone and Kalmeghin (upto 2.5%). The leaves contain the maximum active principle content while in the stem it is in lesser amount.