Title:Unmasking the Many Faces of Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia L.): A Fresh Look on its Phytochemical and Medicinal Properties
Volume: 27
Issue: 22
Author(s): Deepak Kumar Verma*, Kimmy G., Pradyuman Kumar and Mohamed El-Shazly*
Affiliation:
- Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur - 721302, West Bengal,India
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Organization of African Unity Street, Abassia, Cairo 11566,Egypt
Keywords:
Antioxidant, Ayurveda, Phytochemicals, Tinospora cordifolia, Giloy, Menispermaceae.
Abstract:
Background: Plants have been used to treat health disorders and prevent diseases since antiquity in all
civilizations including the Indian and Chinse. Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia L.) is one of the most important medicinal
plants in Indian folk medicine and is commonly known as the “Heart-leaved Moonseed” or “Guduchi”.
Giloy is a perennial shrubby creeper of the Menispermaceae family. It is native to the tropical areas of India, Sri
Lanka, Myanmar, Sothern Eastern Asia, Africa, and Australia. It attracted attention in the last few decades because
its roots, stems, and leaves are used in folk medicine treating several disorders.
Methods: To reveal its potential, we reviewed the literature on this plant over the last five decades using several
search engines.
Results: Giloy is recommended in diabetes, stomachache, jaundice, urinary problems, skin ailments, and prolonged
diarrhea and dysentery. The medicinal properties of T. cordifolia extracts were attributed to its phytochemical
content including steroids, alkaloids, diterpenoid lactones, and glycosides.
Conclusion: In this review, we summarized the phytochemical content of T. cordifolia and its medicinal properties
with special emphasis on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. We aimed to provide
natural product researchers with a full picture of the potential applications of this plant in the development of food
additives and nutraceuticals.
