Nilavembu is an effective antipyretic and expectorant herb that has a high concentration of diterpenoids, lactones, diterpene glycosides, flavonoids, and flavonoid glycosides. The main active component is believed to be andrographolide and andrographis extract, which have a variety of medicinal effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, vermicidal, laxative, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, digestive, and cholagogue.