Tinospora

Scientific Name(s): Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers.
Common Name(s): Amrita, Duyutige, Gado, Galo, Giloe, Giloya, Guduchi, Gulancha, Heartleaf moonseed, Teppatige, Tinofend

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 5, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

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. Experiments have examined its antineoplastic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and immunologic properties; however, few clinical trials exist.

Dosing

Clinical trials to support dosing are limited, with 300 mg of a standardized aqueous tinospora stem extract taken 3 times daily for up to 6 months.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been determined. An in vitro study found an increase in prostate cancer cells; therefore, tinospora probably should not be consumed in this condition until further studies are conducted.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy during pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Limited clinical studies reveal few adverse reactions; GI symptoms (anorexia, nausea, vomiting) have been reported. No toxicity has been observed at Ayurvedic therapeutic doses. Hepatotoxicity has been reported with the medicinally interchangeable and related species, Tinospora crispa.

Toxicology

Information is generally lacking.

Scientific Family

• Menispermaceae (moonseed)

Botany

T. cordifolia (also known known as Tinospora sinensis and Tinospora malabarica) is a glabrous, succulent, climbing shrub native to India and also found in Burma and Sri Lanka. It thrives easily in tropical regions, often growing to great heights, and climbing the trunks of large neem trees. The bark is gray or creamy white, deeply cleft spirally and longitudinally, with large rosette-like lenticels. The wood is white, soft, and porous, and when freshly cut, quickly assumes a yellow tint. The branches bear smooth, heart-shaped leaves, unisexual greenish flowers in summer, and red berries in winter. Long thread-like aerial roots arise from the branches. The viscous sap is light yellow, with an odor and a nauseating bitter taste.1, 2

History

Guduchi is an Indian medicinal plant that has been used in Ayurvedic preparations for the treatment of various ailments for centuries. Ancient Hindu physicians prescribed it for gonorrhea. Europeans in India became interested in the tonic and diuretic properties of T. cordifolia. The prepared tincture has received official recognition in the Indian Pharmacopoeia. It has been used to treat general weakness, fever, dyspepsia, dysentery, gonorrhea, secondary syphilis, urinary diseases, impotency, gout, viral hepatitis, skin diseases, and anemia. In compound formulations, guduchi is used clinically to treat jaundice, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. The root is considered to be a strong emetic and is used for bowel obstruction.1, 3, 4 In India, T. crispa is considered medicinally interchangeable with T. cordifolia.75

Chemistry

A large number of compounds have been isolated from the aerial parts, roots, and whole plant of T. cordifolia, and reviews describing the constituents have been published.5, 6

Major constituents include the alkaloids berberine, tinospporin, palmitine, tembetarine, choline, isocolum...