Tinospora cordifolia (guduchi or gulbel) is an indigenous medicinal plant with a potent immunostimulant activity. According to the Ayurvedic treatises, Guduchi is referred to as Amrita. The term Amrita is attributed to this plant in recognition of its ability to impart youthfulness, vitality and longevity to its user. Therefore, it is categorized in Ayurveda as Rasayana. (Rasa means biologically transformable liquid nutrient of all the tissues in the body and aayana means a pathway. Thus Rasaayana bestows the strength of all dhaatus of the body! Rasaayana helps slowing down the ageing process, enhances memory, improves the functioning of vital organs, increases the ojus (the immunity factor) and nourishes all the tissues).
The whole plant or roots are used for the medicinal purpose. It is an evergreen, wild, climber, smooth, succulent, shrub often attaining a great height and sending down long thread like aerial roots. The plant seems to be particularly found climbing up the trunks of large neem trees. It is found throughout our country, especially in the outskirts of the villages. It is sometimes cultivated for horticultural purposes. The leaves afford a good fodder for cattle. It is perfectly suited to and grows well in almost any type of soil and under varying climatic conditions. It is specially trained to grow on neem and mango trees; thereby it is supposed to possess increase in its medicinal virtue.
There is a story in the ancient scriptures which says that during the Ramayana war, when Rama won over the demon Ravana, some of his monkey warriors were killed. Indra, the lord of the gods, showered nectar from heaven to resurrect them. Some of the nectar drops fell on the earth and from these sprang the guduchi plants.
Guduchi has been used for its medicinal values since ancient times. It is widely used in treating various conditions like malarial fever, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, heat sensation in the body, vomiting sensation, anemia, piles, chronic fever, and different skin diseases. The starch from the stems and roots is a nutrient, used in convalescence, chronic diarrhea and dysentery. It is a part of almost all decoctions mentioned in classical Ayurvedic texts for joint diseases. The aqueous extract of this plant is widely used in traditional system of medicine to treat jaundice, rheumatism, urinary diseases, intermittent fever and eye ailments.
The usual dosage is: Dry extract – 250-500 mg/day; Juice – 5 to 10 ml; Decoction – 50 to 100 ml.
MEDICINAL USES
Anti-stress action: The anti-stress or anxiolytic (anxiety-diminishing) activity of Tinospora cordifolia is well documented by researchers and clinically tested. The ethanolic extract of Tinospora cordifolia exhibited significant antistress activity at 100 mg/kg compared with diazepam at 2.5 mg/kg. The alcoholic extract of the roots of Tinospora cordifolia was found to possess normalizing activity against stress-induced changes in norepinephrine, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in experimental rats.
Anti-diabetic action: The ethyl acetate extract of Tinospora cordifolia showed central nervous system depressant and low blood sugar activity in rabbits. Oral administration of Tinospora cordifolia root extract to alloxan diabetic rats caused a significant reduction in blood glucose and brain lipids. The water, alcoholic, and chloroform extracts of the leaves of Tinospora cordifolia exerted a significant hypoglycemic effect in normal as well as in alloxan-treated rabbits. From this study, it was concluded that the extracts of the leaves of Tinospora cordifolia have an insulin-like action.
Anti-inflammatory action: The aqueous extract of Tinospora cordifolia showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats against acute and chronic type of inflammations’ induced by carregenin.
Immunomodulation activity: Tinospora cordifolia appears to improve surgical outcome in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice by strengthening the host defenses. Researchers have proven the usefulness of the Tinospora extract in reducing the chemotoxicity induced by free radical forming chemicals. In one study oral administration of some indigenous herbal drugs including Tinospora cordifolia was found to protect mice from cyclophosphamide induced Leukopenia. In another study a prospective, randomized, double blind placebo controlled clinical trial was conducted on breast cancer patients. Consenting breast cancer patients, who were receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (CMF regimen), were recruited, and randomized to drug and placebo group. From the results it appeared that the plant Tinospora cordifolia provided some protection against the cancer chemotherapy induced leucopenia.
Hypo-lipidaemic (fat decreasing) activity: Administration of the extract of Tinospora cordifolia roots (2.5 and 5.0 g/kg body weight) for 6 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in serum and tissue cholesterol, phospholipids and free fatty acids in alloxan diabetic rats.
Anticancer activity: Exposure of Hela cells to 0, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 micro g/ml of Tinospora cordifolia extracts (methanol, aqueous and methylene chloride) resulted in a dose-dependent but significant increase in cell killing, when compared to non-drug-treated controls.
Hepatoprotective action: Antihepatotoxic activity of Tinospora cordifolia was found in albino rats intoxicated with CC14.
Anti-bacterial action: Alcoholic extract of the stem of Tinospora cordifolia shows activity against E.coli. The active constituent in the Tinospora cordifolia was also found to inhibit in vitro the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Anti-spasmodic action: Tinospora cordifolia has been observed to relax smooth muscles of intestine, uterus and inhibit constrictor response of histamine and acetylcholine on smooth muscles.
• Guduchi taken with ghee pacifies vaata, with jaggery removes constipation, with sugar pacifies pitta, with honey pacifies kapha, mixed with castor oil alleviates gouty arthritis and with dried ginger controls rheumatoid arthritis.
• The juice of guduchi, mixed with pippali (long pepper) powder alleviates fever.
• Decoction of guduchi, parpata (pitta-paapadaa) and amla (Indian gooseberry) overcomes fever caused by pitta.
• One suffering from jaundice should take the paste of guduchi leaves with buttermilk.
• Cold infusion of guduchi mixed with honey is beneficial in excessive thirst.
• Cold infusion of guduchi mixed with honey checks vomiting.
• Decoction of guduchi, neem leaves and patola (kadvaa parval or janglee chichodaa) leaves mixed with honey alleviates gastritis and allied disorders.
• Decoction prepared with 30 grams of guduchi, dried ginger, and coriander seeds alleviate gout and skin disorders.
• Decoction of guduchi and neem controls eruptive boils.
• Intake of the root of guduchi with rice water alleviates splenomegaly (enlargement of spleen).
• Regular use of guduchi mixed with oil controls filarial disorders.
• Guduchi juice 10 grams, honey and rocksalt one gram, should be rubbed together and used as collyrium. It alleviates various eye related problems like dirt, pterygium, defects of vision, cataract, itching etc.
• People who take alcohol regularly should take guduchi to vitalize liver tissue and prevent any damage to this vital organ.