The Phytochemical Andrographolide from Andrographis Paniculata Pushes Brain Cells to Protect Themselves from Stress
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 18, 2026 4 hours, 31 minutes ago
Medical News: Natural molecule teaches brain support cells a new trick
A team of Chilean and Spanish scientists has uncovered how andrographolide, a bitter plant compound long used in Asian herbal medicine, powerfully rewires energy use in key brain support cells known as astrocytes. Andrographolide is derived from the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata, commonly called Green Chiretta or Fa Thalai Chon in Thai, a species native to South and Southeast Asia that is traditionally valued for its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.
Phytochemicals from Andrographis Paniculata retools sugar use in brain support cells, boosting antioxidant
defenses rather than energy output
The researchers, based at Universidad de Las Américas-Chile, Universidad San Sebastián, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Magallanes, Universidad de Concepción, and Spain’s Instituto de Salud Carlos III, report that the compound does far more than simply boost cellular energy. Their laboratory experiments reveal that andrographolide diverts sugar away from routine fuel production and redirects it into an internal defense system that shields brain cells from oxidative stress, a process closely linked to aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Turbocharging glucose intake in brain cells
Astrocytes normally absorb glucose from the bloodstream and help distribute fuel to neurons. The scientists found that andrographolide dramatically increased glucose uptake in these cells, even when toxic beta-amyloid molecules associated with Alzheimer’s disease attempted to shut the system down. Early uptake tests showed an increase of roughly 25 percent, and the compound fully restored glucose transport in astrocytes damaged by amyloid fragments. This
Medical News report highlights how distinctive this effect is compared with earlier findings in neurons, where andrographolide primarily enhanced energy production.
Andrographolide reroutes sugar into the antioxidant factory
Rather than channeling glucose through glycolysis to generate ATP, astrocytes treated with andrographolide redirected sugar into the pentose phosphate pathway. This lesser-known metabolic route produces molecules that neutralize harmful oxygen radicals. Key benefits observed by the researchers included an approximately 60 percent rise in pentose phosphate pathway activity, strong activation of G6PDH, the gateway enzyme for this pathway, marked increases in total glutathione and glutathione peroxidase, and a higher NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio that fuels cellular detoxification processes. Notably, amyloid exposure normally suppresses these defenses, but andrographolide restored most of the lost protective capacity.
A strategic drop in energy output
Because more glucose was devoted to building cellular defenses rather than producing fuel, astrocytes showed reduced ATP levels. While this initially appears harmful, the scientists describe it as a strategic, short-term sacri
fice that prepares cells to withstand oxidative stress, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease brains. Gene expression analysis supported this shift, revealing increased levels of the glucose transporter GLUT1 and markers of the Wnt signaling pathway, alongside reduced expression of the pro-inflammatory marker TNF-alpha.
Why the discovery matters
Astrocytes play a decisive role in keeping neurons alive, yet they are often overlooked in drug discovery. This study demonstrates that astrocytes can be “trained” to switch from fuel suppliers to cellular defenders with the help of a plant-derived compound. The implications extend well beyond laboratory experiments, as metabolic failure and oxidative damage often emerge years before memory loss becomes apparent in Alzheimer’s disease. If future therapies can safely encourage astrocytes to divert sugar toward protection, individuals at risk may be able to preserve brain health for longer. The findings also reinforce interest in natural compounds as partners to future neurodegeneration treatments, suggesting that metabolic reprogramming of glial cells could complement neuron-focused strategies. More research in animal models and humans is required, but this metabolic shift offers a compelling new direction for slowing or preventing brain decline.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Pharmaceuticals.
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/19/1/133
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