| Introduction: |
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Tinospora cordifolia (Guduchi) is widely used shrub in folk and ayurvedic systems of medicine. The plant grows throught out India from Kumaon to Kanyakumari. According to the Ayurvedic lexicons 'Amrita' refers to the Tinospora cordifolia plant. The term 'Amrita' is attributed to this drug in recognition of its ability to impart youthfulness, vitality and longevity to its patron. It therefore figures as one of an important 'Rasayana' drug in the Vedic scriptures. The plant of T. cordifolia is used in Ayurvedic rasayanas to improve immune system and body resistance against infections. The plant extract is used as immunomodulator in immunosuppression of obstructive jaundice, hepatic fibrosis, peritonitis and sepsis. As traditional medicine, it is also used for many other symptoms, such as fever, vomiting, piles, diabetes and etc. |
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| Major Chemical Constituents: |
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| The major components of this plant are alkaloids, diterpenoid lactones, glycosides, steroids, sesquiterpenoid, phenolics, aliphatic compounds and polysaccharides. |
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| Pharmacological Actions |
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Immunomodulator effect:1,2,3
Tinospora cordifolia (guduchi) is a widely used shrub in ayurvedic systems of medicine known to possess immunomodulatory properties. In the present study the aqueous extract of T. cordifolia was found to enhance phagocytosis in vitro. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts also induced an increase in antibody production in vivo. Another study showed that the extract induced a significant increase in the number of CFU-GM, indicating the activation of macrophages by T. cordifolia had occurred, leading to an increase in leucocytosis and enhanced neutrophil functions. One of the studies suggests that treating the animals with Tinospora cordifolia extract improves the celluar immune functions. |
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Antistress activity: 4,5
An ethanolic extract of the roots of Tinospara cordifalia normalised stress- nduced biochemical changes in norepinephrine, dopamine, 5- hydroxytryptamine and S:hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in experimental rat models. Other study also exhibited significant antistress activity of Tinospora cordifolia extract in all the parameters. |
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Anti-inflammatory: 6,7
Many documented studies show anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of Tinospora cordifolia extract. |
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| Herb Drug interactions: |
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No known interactions are reported yet. |
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| Safety: 8 |
| It is safe with appropriate clinical guidance. However, excessive doses of berberine inhibit vitamin B assimilation and can cause nausea. The maximum tolerated doses of 50% ethanolic extracts of the stem and whole plant were 250 and 500 mg/kg in adult rats. |
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| Reference |
| 1 |
M. S. Ranjith, A.J.A. Ranjitsingh, S. Gokul Shankar, G. S. Vijayalaksmi, K. Deepa and Harcharan Singh Sidhu Enhanced Phagocytosis and Antibody Production by Tinospora cordifolia - A new dimension in Immunomodulation., African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 7 (2), pp. 081-085, 18 January, 2008 |
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| 2 |
Thatte, U. M., Rao, S. G. Dahanukar, S. A., 1994, Tinospora cordifolia induces colony-stimulating activity in serum. Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 40(4): 202 |
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| 3 |
Rege NN, Nazareth HM, Bapat RD, Dahanukar SA., Modulation of immunosuppression in obstructive jaundice by Tinospora cordifolia. Indian J Med Res. 1989 Dec;90:478-83. |
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| 4 |
Sarma, D. N. K., Khosa, R. L., Chansauria, J. P. N., Ray, A. K., 1995, Effect. of T. cordifalia on brain neurotransmitters in stressed rats. Fitoteratia, 66(5): 421 |
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| 5 |
Sarma DNK, Khosa RL, Chansauria JPN, Sahai M., Antistress Activity of Tinospora cordifolia and Centella asiatica Extracts. Phytotherapy Research 1998; 10 (2): 181 - 183 |
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| 6 |
Jana Utpalendu, RN Chattopadhyay, Prasad Shaw Badri, Preliminary studies on anti-inflammatory activity of Zingiber officinale Rosc., Vitex negundo Linn and Tinospora cordifolia (willid) Miers in albino rats., Indian J. of Pharmacology. 1999; 31 (3): 232-233 |
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| 7 |
Bishayi B, Roychowdhury S, Ghosh S, Sengupta M: Hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory properties of Tinospora cordifolia in C27:139-46. |
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| 8 |
Dhar ML, Dhar MM, Dhawan BN, Mehrotra BN, Ray C 1968 Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part I. Indian J. of Experimental Biology 6:232. |
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