Omnia SanaPlant Comparison
Andrographis vs Shiitake (mushroom)
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Andrographis and Shiitake (mushroom): they share 5 indicated uses (cancer (anticancer research), cold & flu, immune support, …); 4 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Andrographis | Shiitake (mushroom) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer (anticancer research) | 2/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Cold & flu | 8/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Andrographis |
| Immune support | 5/10 | 5/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Infection (general) | 8/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Andrographis |
| Wounds | 5/10 | 5/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
The principal immunomodulatory polysaccharide, used clinically in Japan as an injectable cancer-adjuvant therapy.
A unique amino-acid-derived compound studied for cholesterol-lowering activity.
Pharmacological Actions
Andrographolide, the principal diterpene lactone of Andrographis paniculata, suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis across breast, lung, colon, cervical, hepatic and haematological cancers via NF-kappaB and PI3K/Akt inhibition (preclinical).
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Andrographolide (from Andrographis paniculata) acts as a chemopreventive and antitumour agent against breast, lung, colorectal, cervical, prostate and hepatocellular cancers and leukaemia, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting NF-kappaB and PI3K/AKT signalling (preclinical).
Symptomatic relief of the common cold and acute upper respiratory tract infection (reduces symptom severity and duration)
Immunostimulant / immune support
Symptomatic relief of the common cold and acute upper respiratory tract infection (reduces symptom severity and duration)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from antidiabetic action
inferred from anticancer action
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from antidiabetic action
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Avoid in pregnancy and when trying to conceive: high doses have shown reproductive toxicity in animals and the herb has a traditional reputation as an abortifacient.
High doses have caused nephrotoxicity and reproductive toxicity in studies; use standardized products at recommended doses and avoid prolonged high-dose use.
Generally very safe as a food. Raw or undercooked shiitake can cause a rare skin rash (shiitake dermatitis / flagellate dermatitis) in sensitive individuals — fully cooking eliminates this risk. May have mild anticoagulant effects. Rarely causes digestive upset. Well tolerated in normal culinary quantities.
Duke (2002) rates shiitake as +++ and notes immunostimulant, hypocholesterolemic, antibacterial, and anti-HIV activities at the experimental level (score 1). The key active compound is lentinan, a beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharide, which is used as an injectable anticancer drug in Japan. Duke notes clinical applications of shiitake preparations for immune support, cancer adjuvant therapy, and cholesterol management. Dose: 1–3 (606 mg) capsules up to three times daily for standardized preparations. Shiitake dermatitis (flagellate erythema) is a rare but recognized adverse effect from eating raw or undercooked shiitake — cooking prevents this (Duke, 2002).
External Ids
Botanical Description
Erect, branching annual herb with a slender, quadrangular (square-sectioned), dark green stem. The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped and glabrous, with a short stalk. Small, two-lipped, white flowers with purple-pink markings are borne in loose, spreading axillary and terminal racemes. The whole plant, and especially the leaves, is intensely and characteristically bitter.[11]
Wood-decay fungus (not a true plant) with a classic cap-and-stem mushroom form. The cap is broad, brown to dark brown, often with pale scale-like markings, with a fringed or curled margin when young; the underside bears numerous cream-coloured gills radiating from a central or slightly off-centre fibrous stem.
Habitat
Native to India and Sri Lanka and widely distributed through South and Southeast Asia, growing wild in plains, hillsides, roadsides and cultivated fields; also grown commercially as a medicinal crop.[11]
Grows naturally as a wood-decay fungus on fallen broadleaf trees (notably shii, oak and chestnut) in East Asian forests; almost all commercial shiitake today is cultivated on hardwood logs or sawdust blocks.
Harvesting
The aerial parts (leaves and tender stems) are cut just before or at the onset of flowering, when andrographolide content is typically highest, and dried in shade to preserve the bitter diterpenoid lactones.[11]
Fruiting bodies are hand-picked once the cap has opened but before the margin fully flattens, then used fresh or dried; mycelium-based extracts are cultivated separately in liquid or grain culture.
Traditional Uses
Andrographis, the 'king of bitters', is a cornerstone bitter tonic of Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine (Chuan xin lian), used for fevers, colds, sore throat, infections and liver complaints. This traditional reputation for treating the common cold and upper respiratory infections is now supported by clinical trials of standardised extracts.[10, 12]
Shiitake has a very long East Asian culinary and medicinal tradition, used in Chinese and Japanese medicine as a tonic for vitality and longevity and to support healthy qi and blood; its polysaccharide lentinan, isolated from the fruiting body, has been used clinically in Japan as an adjunct immunotherapy, directly building on this traditional immune-tonic reputation.[11]
Preparations
Dosage
Clinical trials for upper respiratory infection commonly use extracts standardised to around 60-120 mg andrographolide daily, in divided doses, for up to 5-7 days. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
The WHO monograph on Herba Andrographidis gives, by indication - for the common cold, 1.5-3.0 g of the powdered crude drug three times daily, after meals and at bedtime; for pyrexia, a decoction from 3 g of the crude drug twice daily; for diarrhoea, a decoction from 3-9 g as a single dose as needed, or two 500 mg tablets four times daily. Note that the EMA HMPC assessed this herb and issued a public statement rather than a monograph, so there is no EU posology. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Not documented
References
Lookalikes Review
References & Sources
- Okonogi, R. and others (2023) 'Efficacy of Andrographis paniculata spray in acute pharyngitis: A randomized controlled trial', Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics, 17(5), pp. 315-321. doi:10.5582/ddt.2023.01053 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.5582/ddt.2023.01053 - Hossain, S., Urbi, Z., Karuniawati, H., Mohiuddin, R.B. and others (2018) 'Overview of pharmacological activities of Andrographis paniculata and its major compound andrographolide', Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 61(10), pp. 1635-1652. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1501657 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2018.1501657 - Worakunphanich, W. and others (2021) 'Andrographis paniculata Formulations: Impact on Diterpene Lactone Oral Bioavailability', European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, 46(5), pp. 565-581. doi:10.1007/s13318-021-00736-7 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13318-021-00736-7 - Worakunphanich, W., Thavorncharoensap, M., Youngkong, S., Thakkinstian, A. and Chaikledkaew, U (2021) 'Safety of Andrographis paniculata: A systematic review and meta-analysis', Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 30(6), pp. 727-739. doi:10.1002/pds.5190 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.5190 - Kumar, S., Singh, B. and Bajpai, V (2021) 'Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees and its major constituent andrographolide as potential antiviral agents', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 274, pp. 113954. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.113954 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.113954 - Barbosa, F.L. and others (2021) 'Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees: An Updated Review of Phytochemistry, Antimicrobial Pharmacology, and Clinical Safety and Efficacy', Life, 11(4), pp. 348. doi:10.3390/life11040348 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/life11040348 - Singh, P. and others (2022) 'Andrographis paniculata mitigates first-line anti-tubercular drugs-induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats', Biomarkers, 27(4), pp. 385-394. doi:10.1080/1354750X.2022.2043444 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/1354750X.2022.2043444 - Coon, J.T. and Ernst, E (2004) 'Andrographis paniculata in the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection: systematic review of randomized controlled trials', Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 29(1), pp. 37-45. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2710.2003.00534.x Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2710.2003.00534.x - Rondee, N. and others (2023) 'The Effects of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.F.) Wall. Ex Nees and Andrographolide on Neuroinflammation in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases', Nutrients, 15(15), pp. 3428. doi:10.3390/nu15153428 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153428 - Zeng, B., Wei, A., Zhou, Q., Yuan, M., Lei, K., Liu, Y., Song, J., Guo, L. and Ye, Q (2021) 'Andrographolide: A review of its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity and clinical trials and pharmaceutical researches', Phytotherapy Research. doi:10.1002/ptr.7324 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7324 - Gonde, D.P., Bhole, B.K. and Kakad, K.S (2023) 'Andrographolide, diterpenoid constituent of Andrographis paniculata: Review on botany, phytochemistry, molecular docking analysis, and pharmacology', Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises. doi:10.1016/j.pharma.2023.10.001 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharma.2023.10.001 - Hu, X.Y., Wu, R.H., Logue, M., Blondel, C., Lai, L.Y.W., Stuart, B., Flower, A., Fei, Y.T., Moore, M., Shepherd, J., Liu, J.P. and Lewith, G (2017) 'Andrographis paniculata (Chuan Xin Lian) for symptomatic relief of acute respiratory tract infections in adults and children: A systematic review and meta-analysis', PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0181780 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181780 - World Health Organization (2002) 'Herba Andrographidis'. Available at: https://iris.who.int/items/6418d8af-5200-4e6b-9bf5-004f3aa62a37 Traditional / reference
https://iris.who.int/items/6418d8af-5200-4e6b-9bf5-004f3aa62a37 - Tundis, R. and Patra, J.K. and Bonesi, M. and Das, S. and Nath, R. and Das Talukdar, A. and Das, G. and Loizzo, M.R (2023) 'Anti-Cancer Agent: The Labdane Diterpenoid-Andrographolide', Plants, 12(10), pp. 1969. doi:10.3390/plants12101969 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101969 - Mishra, S.K. and Tripathi, S. and Shukla, A. and Oh, S.H. and Kim, H.M (2015) 'Andrographolide and analogues in cancer prevention', Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition), 7(2), pp. 255-266. doi:10.2741/E732 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.2741/E732 - Paul, S. and Roy, D. and Pati, S. and Sa, G (2021) 'The Adroitness of Andrographolide as a Natural Weapon Against Colorectal Cancer', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, pp. 731492. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.731492 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.731492 - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (n.d.) 'Andrographis (About Herbs)'. Available at: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/andrographis Traditional / reference
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/andrographis
- Jafari, M., Boskabady, M.H., Rezaee, S.A., Rezaeian, S. and others (2023) 'Lentinan and beta-glucan extract from shiitake mushroom, Lentinula edodes, alleviate acute LPS-induced hematological changes in mice', Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 26(7), pp. 836-842. doi:10.22038/IJBMS.2023.67669.14820 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.22038/IJBMS.2023.67669.14820 - Ahn, H., Jeon, E., Kim, J.C., Kang, S.G. and others (2017) 'Lentinan from shiitake selectively attenuates AIM2 and non-canonical inflammasome activation while inducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production', Scientific Reports, 7(1), pp. 1314. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-01462-4 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01462-4 - Okamoto, T., Kodoi, R., Nonaka, Y., Fukuda, I. and others (2004) 'Lentinan from shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) suppresses expression of cytochrome P450 1A subfamily in the mouse liver', BioFactors, 21(1-4), pp. 407-409. doi:10.1002/biof.552210180 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.552210180 - Ng, M.L. and Yap, A.T (2002) 'Inhibition of human colon carcinoma development by lentinan from shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes)', Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 8(5), pp. 581-589. doi:10.1089/107555302320825093 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1089/107555302320825093 - Bisen, P.S., Baghel, R.K., Sanodiya, B.S., Thakur, G.S. and Prasad, G.B.K.S (2010) 'Lentinus edodes: a macrofungus with pharmacological activities', Current Medicinal Chemistry, 17(22), pp. 2419-2430. doi:10.2174/092986710791698495 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.2174/092986710791698495 - Stephany, M.P., Chung, S., Handler, M.Z., Handler, N.S. and others (2016) 'Shiitake Mushroom Dermatitis: A Review', American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 17(5), pp. 485-489. doi:10.1007/s40257-016-0212-6 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-016-0212-6 - Nguyen, A.H., Gonzaga, M.I., Lim, V.M., Adler, M.J. and others (2017) 'Clinical features of shiitake dermatitis: a systematic review', International Journal of Dermatology, 56(6), pp. 610-616. doi:10.1111/ijd.13433 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.13433 - Djordjevic, B., Skugor, S., Jorgensen, S.M., Overland, M. and others (2009) 'Modulation of splenic immune responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharide in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed lentinan, a beta-glucan from mushroom Lentinula edodes', Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 26(2), pp. 201-209. doi:10.1016/j.fsi.2008.10.012 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2008.10.012 - Kaleta, B., Gorski, A., Zagozdzon, R., Cieslak, M. and others (2019) 'Selenium-containing polysaccharides from Lentinula edodes-Biological activity', Carbohydrate Polymers, 223, pp. 115078. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115078 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115078 - Money, N.P (2016) 'Are mushrooms medicinal?', Fungal Biology, 120(4), pp. 449-453. doi:10.1016/j.funbio.2016.01.006 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2016.01.006 - Vethanayagam, R.R. et al (1996) 'Lentinan — a novel immunomodulator', 54(2), pp. 25--30. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Lentinan%20%E2%80%94%20a%20novel%20immunomodulator - Wasser, S.P (2011) 'Current findings, future trends, and unsolved problems in studies of medicinal mushrooms', 89(5), pp. 1323--1332. doi:10.1007/s00253-010-3067-4 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-010-3067-4 - Yokota, M (1989) 'Observatory trial of anti-obesity activity of Eritadenine', pp. 1--4. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Observatory%20trial%20of%20anti-obesity%20activity%20of%20Eritadenine - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.