All About Guduchi

What is Guduchi?

Guduchi or Giloy is a famous Ayurvedic herb, which got more limelight after the Covid-19 pandemic. It is used extensively in the treatment of fever, diabetes, urinary tract disorders, anemia, jaundice, asthma, cardiac disorders etc. It is a well-known immuno-modulator herb used frequently in auto-immune disorders.  

• Botanical name – Tinospora cordifolia  
• Family: Menispermaceae
• Chemical constituents: The major chemical constituents include beberin, bitter glucoside giloin and volatile oil.

How to use Guduchi?  

The best way to consume giloy is by making its Kashayam (decoction / herbal tea).  
For an adult – A tablespoon of Giloya powder is added with 2 cups of water, boiled and reduced to half a cup, filtered and administered within 8 hours of preparation.  
Guduchi capsules and Guduchi Ghanavati (tablets) are also available, which are usually administered in a dose of 1 – 2 tablets/capsules once or twice a day, before or after food.  

Home Remedies with Guduchi herb

• The benefits of Guduchi are widely recognized in Ayurveda, especially when used in its dry herb powder or decoction (kashayam) form. Along with Ghee (clarified butter), it is useful in Vata Dosha imbalance disorders like arthritis, neuropathy, and paralysis.  
• 1 teaspoon of Guduchi powder is administered with a teaspoon of jaggery, at night, before food to relieve constipation.  
• 1 teaspoon of guduchi powder is administered along with a teaspoon of sugar candy (unprocessed sugar) is helpful in Pitta imbalance disorders such as skin diseases, gastritis, dizziness, liver disorders etc.  
• A teaspoon of Giloy along with a teaspoon of castor oil is useful in relieving gout and constipation.  
• Giloy along with ginger powder, either in the powder/decoction form is useful in rheumatoid arthritis.
• For Pitta-type vomiting associated with severe burning sensation, migraine, and gastritis, water added with the powder of Bengal gram and Guduchi can be administered. The benefits of Guduchi in soothing digestive discomfort and balancing Pitta are well-documented in classical Ayurvedic texts like Charaka Chikitsa Sthana 20/31.  
• For seasonal allergies, guduchi powder or its Satva (extract powder) – 500 mg is administered along with 1 gram of Trikatu (black pepper, long pepper and ginger) and 2 pinches of turmeric, made into a paste with honey. This is advised once or twice a day with water.

Qualities, Effect on Tridosha 

• Giloy – medicinal properties  
• Taste – Astringent, Bitter 
• Qualities – Laghu – Light to digest, Snigdha – Oily, Unctuous.  
• Potency – Hot 
• Taste conversion after digestion – Sweet  
• Effect on Tridosha – Balances Tridoshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha   

Its unctuousness helps in balancing Vata, its bitter taste balances pitta and astringent taste and hot potency helps in balancing Kapha. 

Uses and Indications  

Charaka Sutrasthana 25 

Guduchi herb/ giloy is best to cause astringent effect, promoting digestion, alleviating Vata, Kapha, constipation and Raktapitta (bleeding disorders).

Other uses:

• Rasayani – Rejuvenative  
• Sangrahini – brings about absorptive nature to the stomach and intestines, Useful in malabsorption syndrome, diarrhoea.  
• Balya – improves strength  
• Agnideepani – Improves digestion power  
• Amahara – relieves Ama – indigestion  
• Trut hara – relieves excessive thirst (as seen in fever)  
• Dahahara – relieves burning sensation in the body. Note that though Guduchi herb is Hot in potency, it helps to relieve burning sensation. This action is brought about by its Madhura Vipaka. (Sweet after – taste). Sweetness is coolant in nature.  
• Mehahara – useful in treatment of diabetes, urinary tract disorders.  
• Kasahara – Useful to relieve cough  
• Paunduhara – relieves anemia  
• Kamala – Useful in treatment of jaundice and related diseases of liver  
• Kushta – Useful in skin diseases  
• Vatasra – Vatarakta – Useful in gout – arthritis  
• Jvara – Useful in fever. 90% of Ayurvedic medicines for fever contain Guduchi as an essential ingredient.  
• Krimihara – useful to relieve intestinal worms.  
• Vamihara – useful to relieve vomiting.  
• Prameha – useful in diabetes and urinary tract disorders  
• Shwasa – useful in difficulty in breathing, (dyspnoea), asthma, Bronchitis  
• kasa – Cough, cold  
• Arsha – Piles, hemorrhoids  
• Krichra – Difficulty in passing urine  
• Hrudya, Hrudroga – Vatanut – Useful in heart diseases with Vata symptoms such as pain.  
• Chakshushya – improves vision, good for eyes, useful in eye disorders  
• Vayasthapana – anti aging, rejuvenating  
• Vrushya – Aphrodisiac  
• Useful in sero – negative arthritis, ankyolising spondilitis, multiple sclerosis etc  

Part used  

Most used part is stem. Almost all the pharmacies use stem of Guduchi. Leaves and arial roots are also used for medicinal purpose.  

How to use fresh guduchi stem?

Guduchi powder – 1 tablespoon is mixed with a cup of water, boiled, and reduced to half a cup. Filtered. This Kashaya can be consumed once a day, just before food.  

Dosage  

Guduchi Dosage

Stem powder – 3 – 6 grams per day, in divided dose  
Water decoction – 15 – 60 ml per day, in divided dosage.  
There is a special extraction from the stem of Guduchi, called Guduchi Satva. Its dosage is 1 to 2 gms.  

Giloy churan dose for rasayana and therapeutics

Guduchi as rasayana – usually taken after Panchakarma treatment – 5 – 10 grams, 2 times a day after food (churna)  
Therapeutic dose – 5 grams 2 times a day after food with suitable Anupana.  

Giloy for general immunity for normal people

Powder – 2 grams once a day can be taken along with a teaspoon of honey for 2 months time.  
Or Giloy decoction is prepared with 1 teaspoon of powder added with 1 cup of water, boiled and reduced to half a cup. Filtered. This is consumed once per day.  

Side effects and precautions  

It is a very good herb for diabetes. But if you are taking other medicines, it may further lower the blood glucose levels. Hence, people with diabetes should take this herb only under medical supervision.  
It’s usage in pregnancy should be monitored under strict medical supervision. It is used in post – natal care and in children.  

Ayurvedic medicines  

Important Ayurvedic medicines with Guduchi as main ingredient:

Amritarishta – Extensively used in the treatment of fever.  
Siva Gutika – used for a variety of diseases like liver and spleen disorders, respiratory conditions, etc  
Guduchi Satva – used in Ayurvedic treatment of burning sensation of feet, bleeding diseases, etc.  
Mushalyadi Churna – It is used in aphrodisiac treatment and oligospermia  

Guduchi herb as anti-aging medicine:  

As per Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana1.3, regular intake of 5 ml of Giloy juice prepared from its root and flower is explained as an excellent brain tonic and rejuvenator – Medhya Rasayana.  

Giloy in PCOS  

Is Giloy useful in PCOS  

Giloy is useful in controlling blood sugar levels, fighting insulin resistance and also to prevent weight gain. These symptoms are associated with PCOS. This way, giloy is useful in PCOS.  

Names in different languages:

English name – Indian Tinospora, Heartleaved moonseed, Heart – leaved tinospora, Indian tinospora, tinospora gulancha  
Hindi name – Giloy, Gurach, Gulvel, Guruchi  
Kannada name – agniballi, amrutaballi