Latin name: Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers

 

Sanskrit name: Guduchi, Amrita, Madhuparni, Kundlini

 

Hindi name: Giloy

 

English name: Tinospora

 

Family: Menispermaceae

 

Distribution: Tinospora is a climber found throughout the tropical regions of India. In Himachal Pradesh, it is easily found as a robust climber mainly in areas like Una, Paonta, Hamirpur, Kangra etc. It climbs over the highest trees and throws out aerial roots which reach the length of 30 feet. It mainly grows up to the height of 1000 feet in India.

 

Morphology: Tinospora is a glabrous, climbing shrub with corky grey dotted bark. It is a perennial deciduous twiner with succulent stem and papery bark. The leaves are 10-20cm in diameter, broadly ovate, deeply cordate and shortly acuminate. The flowers are small and greenish yellow on the old wood in 7.5-15 cm long racemes; slender, usually solitary in the female and clustered in male. Fruits are red in colour and similar to shape of pea. The main types of Tinospora are

 

a)      Tinospora sinensis (Lour) Merrill. It is also called as padm or kandguduchi. Its leaves are big and trifoliate.

b)      Tinospora crispa (Linn.) Miers. Its action is antipyretic.

c)      Tinospora malabarica grows up to 1300m.

 

Flowering/Fruiting season: March-June/cold season

 

Usage: Fresh stem or dried stem pieces.

 

Cultivation method: The plant is sometimes cultivated for ornamental value and is propagated by cuttings. It is so easy to propagate that even if a twig of it is placed on a branch of a tree, it will establish itself as a giant chamber in a couple of years.

 

Phytochemistry: Tinosporin and a furanoid diterpine identical with columbin have been isolated from the plant. Fresh stem bark yields gilobin, gilonin and gilosterol. Berberine and a waxy or starch substance are also present. A new hypoglycaemic agent and a new phenolic lignan have also been isolated. The various constituents reported include glucoside, alkaloids, bitter principles, crystalline components etc. The glycoside – giloin and a non- glucoside – gilenin and gilosterol have been found. The bitter principles have been identified as columbin, chasmanthin and palmarin. The alkaloid tinosporin was also identified.

 

Pharmacological properties of Tinospora:

Guduchi is widely used in ayurvedic system of medicine for its general tonic, anti-periodic, anti spasmodic, anti inflammatory, anti arthritic, anti allergic and anti diabetic properties. The plant is used in ayurvedic “Rasayanas” to improve the immune system and the body resistance against infections. The root of this plant is known for its anti stress, anti leprotic and anti malarial activities.

 

Properties of Tinospora: Tinospora is bitter, pungent and astringent in taste, sweet in the post digestive effect and hot in potency. It alleviates all the doshas. It possesses light and oily attribute. It has a special potency as an anti-toxin.

 

Medicinal uses of Tinospora:

 

  • T. cordifolia is used in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine for the treatment of jaundice, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, and is also used as an immunostimulant. It is an alterative, anthelmintic, anti pyretic, aphrodisiac, bitter tonic, and blood purifier, cardiac, carminative digestive, diuretic and expectorant. The starch from the roots and stem is used in chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. The juice of fresh plant is diuretic and used in gonorrhoea. Very few studies have examined its anti neoplastic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and immunologic properties.
  • The root, stem, leaves and sattva (starch) of tinospora are used for medicinal purpose, externally; the medicated oil of the plant is effectively used to relieve pain and oedema, in gout and skin disorders. In filariasis, the paste of guduchi, shunthi, devadara and vidanga works when applied externally. 
  • Internally, tinospora is one of the most effective rasayanas – rejuvenatives. It works excellently on all the seven dhatus and keeps the body system in balance. The rasayana property bestows longevity, enhances memory, and improves general health, better complexion, energy and luster of the skin. 
  • In vata doshas diseases, it is given with ghrita, pitta doshas diseases, it is given with sugar, kapha doshas diseases, it is given with honey.
  • It is massively helpful in the digestive ailments like hyperacidity, colitis, worm infestations and loss of appetite, abdominal pain, excessive thirst, emesis and liver disorders like hepatitis. 
  • It is one of the best tonics used in chronic fevers in the form of guduchi swaras (juice). It alleviates burning sensation, thirst and increases the appetite of the patient.
  • In urinary tract problems,the fresh juice of guduchi ( 10-20 gms) and paashan bhed ( 2 gms) along with one table spoon honey mixed together given three to four times a day is effective. 
  • Guduchi is drug of choice amongst all the remedies in treating gout (vatarakta). The decoction of guduchi and sunthi is a very effective combination for the treatment of gout and rheumatic disorders. The juice of guduchi is helpful for gout if taken for a period of two to three months. Also purified shilajit with juice of guduchi is helpful for gout if taken twice daily.

Dosage: Decoction 50 – 100 ml, churna 3 -6 gm, satva 1 – 2 gm.

 

Famous formulations:

 

Guduchi sattva, Guduchiyadi churna, Guduchiadi Kwath, Amritarishta, Amrita guggulu, Guduchyadi taila, Sudarshan churna, Sanjivani vati, Kaishore guggulu, Rasnapanchak kwath.

 

References:

    

1. Chauhan N.S. (1999), Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Himachal Pradesh,     page: 418,419,420.

2.    Sharma.P.V (2001), Dravya GunaVigyan, Vol-II, page: 761,762,763.

3.      Nadkarni K.M, Nadkarni A.K, (1976), Indian Materia Medica, Vol-I, 3rd Ed, Mumbai.

4.   Chopra R.N, Chopra L.C, Handa K.D, Kapur L.D, (1982), Indigenous Drugs of India, 2nd Ed.

5. Khosla R.L, Prasad S. (1971), Pharmacognostical studies on Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia Miers), J.Res Ind Med 6:261-269.