Guduchi or Amrita is extensively used herb in Ayurveda and traditional medicines. It is commonly used in the treatment of fever, arthritis, skin diseases and jaundice. The references of Guduchi available in different Ayurveda classical texts.

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

Family: Menispermaceae

English Name: Moonseed, Heartleaf, Tinospora

Sanskrit Names:Guduchi, Amrithavalli, China, Chinnaruha, Chinnodbhava, Amritha, Vatsadani, Somavalli, Kundali, Chakra lakshana, Chakrangi, Naga kumara, Jwaranashini, Jeevanthi, Madhuparni, Tantrika, Devanirmita, Vayastha, Mandali, Sowmya, Vishalya, Rasayani, Chandrahasa, Bhishakpriya and Shyama.

Names in Indian language:IMG_4587

  •  Hindi: Geloy
  • Kannada: Amritha balli
  • Malayalam: Amruthu
  • Tamil: Amrida valli, shindilakodi
  • Telugu: Tippa teega
  • Bengali: Gulanch
  • Marati: Gulvel
  • Panjabi: Gllow, batindu
  • Oriya: Guluchi
  • Gujarati: Garo, galac
  • Urdu: Gurch
  • Konkani: Amritvel
  • Nepale: Gurjo
  • Sikkim: Gurjo

Description: It is a large deciduous climber with several elongated twining branches. Stem: Succulent, stems studded with warty tubercles, longitudinal fissure on a surface, papery bark. Leaves: Simple, alternate, membranous, ovate or cordate, entire, petiole 2 to 6 cm long. Flowers: yellowish, male flowers clustered female flowers solitary. Fruits: Drupes, red when ripe.

Distribution: It is native of India, Srilanka and Burma, grows in dry and deciduous forest.

Parts used: Stem

Pharmacological action: Anti inflammatory, Anti oxidant, Anti pyretic, Anti diabetic, Anti tumor, Antirheumatic, Hepatoprotective, Antimicrobial, Antispasmodic, Cardiotonic, Antidiarrhoeal and Anthelmintic.

Phytochemistry: Alkaloids berberine, giloin, gilenin, bitter principles, tinosporone, tinosporic acid, tinosporol, tinosporin, tinosporide and cordifolisides.

Ayurveda Description: 

Properties:IMG_4606

  • Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya
  • Guna: Snigdha, Guru
  • Virya: Ushna
  • Vipaka: Madhura
  • Dosha karma: Tridoshahara
  • Agni karma: Deepana
  • Vishesha karma: Rasayana, vayasthapana, balya, hridya, grahi, Medhya, kandughna and medohara.
  • Roga karma: jwara, vatarakta, trishna, daha, pandu, brama, chardi, kusta, krimi, kamala, prameha and kasa.

Gana:

  1. Charaka samhita: Vayasthapana, Stanyashodhana, Dahaprashamana, Trishna nigraha, Triptighna.
  2. Sushruta samhita: Patoladi, Guduchyadi, vallipanchamoola, aragvadhadi, kakolyadi.
  3. Bhavaprakasha: Guduchyadi Varga.

Ayurveda References:

  1. Charaka samhita: sutra2, chikitsa 1, 3, 20, 29
  2. Sushruta samhita: sutra 46, chikitsa6, 39, uttara 39
  3. Bhavaprakasha nigantu Madhyama khanda
  4. Raja nigantu: Guduchi varga 17-18
  5. Dhanwantara Nigantu: Guduchi varga

Ayurvedic Formulations:

Amruthothara kashayam, Amritha rajanyadi kashayam, Amritharista, Amritha guggulu, Guduchi satva, Guduchi gritha and Balaguduchyadi taila.