A Multipurpose Medicinal Plant Species: Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers

Abstract

AbstractTinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers (Fam. – Menispermaceae) is a perennial, dioecious, deciduous climber found in India. It is used in the treatment of jaundice, fever, urinary diseases, asthma, gout, diabetes, diarrhoea, skin disease, rheumatism, and snakebites. The crude extracts of T. cordifolia are used in the treatment of bone fracture, wound healing, jaundice, fever, urinary diseases, asthma, gout, diabetes, diarrhoea, and skin diseases. Various chemical constituents have been identified from T. cordifolia viz., tinoscorside A-D, berberine, jatrorrhizine, cordifoliside A-B, and amritoside A-D. The crude extracts and isolated compounds possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antirheumatic, and antidiabetic properties. In clinical trials, T. cordifolia extracts reduced the fasting blood glucose levels in the type-2 diabetic patients and also restored the changed liver functions of patients, although the drug itself, demonstrated mild to moderate adverse changes (in kidney, liver, intestine, and stomach) at a therapeutic equivalent dose (×10 dose level). The anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antistress, and antioxidant activities of T. cordifolius have been evaluated. Farther clinical applications should be preceeded by in vivo model studies on the safety, potent doses, bioactive molecules, and the mechanisms of actions.Keywords Tinospora cordifolia EthnomedicineCordifolisidesPharmacology