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Original Article

Alternative to the Thai Herbal

Pharmacopoeia Method for Quality

Control of Andrographis Capsules

Triporn Wattananat*
Supanee Duangteraprecha
Jiranuch Jamtaweekul
Prapapun Sukphan

Abstract
Rationale and Objective: Reflux extraction is the standard sample preparation method
described in the Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia (THP) for the assay of andrographolide content in
both Andrographis herbal material and capsules, and has been used since 1995. The disadvan-
tages of this method are the consumption of large amounts of volatile and hazardous organic
solvents, low extraction efficiency and a time-consuming process. The objectives of this study
were to compare the extraction efficiency of ultrasonication and reflux extraction methods and to
propose an alternative to the current THP method for quality control of Andrographis capsules.
Methodology: Optimization of extracting solvent and sonication time were investigated.
The best condition was further used for comparison of the extraction efficiency with reflux ex-
traction. A total of 30 different lots of Andrographis capsules were tested. The analytical method
as described in the THP was revalidated to ensure method performance and data integrity after
the sample preparation had been changed.
Results: Ultrasonication with 50% methanol for 15 minutes gave the highest
andrographolide content extracted. Changes in sample preparation did not affect the analytical
method performance. The contents of andrographolide extracted using ultrasonication were com-
parable and in most cases they were even higher than those obtained from the reflux method.
Discussion and Conclusion: Ultrasonication is a more efficient, rapid and convenient method
and can be used as an alternative sample preparation method to the current monographs in THP
for the quality control of both Andrographis herbal material as well as medicinal products.

Keywords: ultrasonication, andrographis capsules, quality

Bureau of Drug and Narcotic, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
*Corresponding author: triporn.w@dmsc.mail.go.th Received date 10/06/16 ■ Accepted date 14/09/16

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