GUDUCHI

Botanical Source : Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. f. &Thoms.


Family Menispermaceae.

Classification:

Gana : Vayasthapana, Daahaprashamana, Trushnaanighrana, Stanyashodhana, Truptighna (Charak.);


Guduchyaadi, Patolaadi, Aarghwadhaadi, Kaakollyaadi, Vallipanchamoola (Sushruta.).

Sanskrit Synonyms:

Guduuchi, Guduuchikaa, Guluuchi, Amrita, Amritaa, Amritalataa, Amritavalli, Chinnaruuhaa, Chinnodbhavaa, Madhuparni, Vatsaadani, Tantrikaa, Kundalini

Common Names

Hindi : Giloya / Gudicha


Bengali : Gulancha


Marathi : Gulavela


Gujarati : Galo


Telugu : Tippatigo


Unani : Gilo / Gulanchaa / Sat-e-Gilo (starch).


Siddha : Seenil / Amrida-valli .


English : Tinospora

Botanical Description

T. cordiflia is a large, glabrous deciduous climbing shrub distributed throughout tropical and subtropical India up to an altitude of 300m. The plant is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant. Its leaves are cordate, membranous with a broad sinus. Flowers are small yellow in axiallary and terminal racemes which appears when the plant is leafless. Drupaceous fruits are ovoid, glossy and succulent with red colour while the seeds are curved. The dry intact stem which forms the commercial drug is rather succulent with longfiliform, fleshy aerial roots from the branches. Stem is terete or sparcely lenticellate. Tender stem is greenish with a smooth surface while the older one have a warty surface due to the presence of circular lenticels.It consists of grayish brown, warty bark. It breaks with a fibrous fracture.

Chemical Constituents


The dried stem of T. cordifolia consists of number of diterpenoid lactone compounds which are principally responsible for its intensely bitter taste.These diterpenoids includes tinosporide, tinosporaside, columbin, diterpenoid furanolactone (I), and clerodane diterpenoid C6, C12 epimer of 6-hydroxycanglicin (II). It has also been reported to contain a sesquiterpene glucoside tinocordifolioside. Phenylpropane disaccharides such as cordifolioside A & B and a lignin 3,4-bis-(4-hydrxy-3-methoxy benzyl) tetrahydrofuran (III) have been reported from the stem. The drug also contains alkaloidal constituents, including berberine; bitter principles, including columbin, chasmanthin, palmarin and tinosporon, tinosporic acid and tinosporol.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa :Tikta, Kashaya


Guna : Guru, Snigdha


Veerya : Ushna


Vipaka : Madhura


Karma : Tridoshashamaka, Jwaraghna, Kushthaghna, Vedanasthapana, Pittasaaraka, Krimighna, Hrudya, Raktavardhaka, Raktashodhaka, Deepana, Pachana, Chhardinigrahana, Balya, Vrushya, Pramehahara, Daahaprashamana, Rasayana

Actions

Herb- antipyretic, antiperiodic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic, hepatoprotective.

Therapeutics Uses/ Indications

Kushtha, Vaata-rakta, Trushna, Chhardi, Agnimandha, Yakrudivikara, Kaamala, Amlapitta, Pravahika, Grahani, Krumi, Kaasa, Shukradourbalya, Prameha, Jwara, Vishamajwara, Kshaya


Stem juice- prescribed in high fever; decoction in rheumatic and bilious fevers.


Aqueous extract of the plant-fabrifuge.


Starch- antacid, antidiarrhoeal and antidysenteric.


The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, along with other therapeutic applications, recommends the dried stems in jaundice, anaemia, polyuria and skin diseases.


Oral administration of alcoholic extract of the root resulted in a significant reduction in blood and urine glucose and in lipids in serum and tissues of alloxan diabetic rats. (Phytother Res. 2003 17 (4), 4103.)


A significant reduction in levels of SGOT, SGPT, ALP and bilirubin were observed following T. cordifolia treatment during CCl₄ intoxication in mature rats. (J. Toxicol Sci. 2002, 27 (3), 13946.)

Part(s) Used

Leaves, Stem, Root

Dosage

Stem 36 g powder; 20 30 g for decoction (API, Vol. I.)

Formulation

Samshamani Vati, Amritaarishta