MEDICINAL PLANTS : TINOSPORA CORDIFOLIA

Abstract: Tinospora Cordifolia (menispermaceae) is also knows as Guduchi (Hindi), Galo (Gujarati), Amrita balli (Kannada).The plant is a glabrous climbing shrub fround throughout India, typically growing in deciduous and dry forests. The leaves are simple, alternate, entire cordate,7-9 nerved and heart shaped. Its fruits are drupes, turn red when ripe. It thrines easily in the tropical region, often attains a great height and climbe up the trunks of large neem trees. Nature of wood is soft, porous and a yellow tint is developed when a cut is made on surface. Long threadlike aerial roots come up from the branches. It has anti-diabetic.(1) Liver protective action.(2) Anti-cancerous(3) and immune stimulating properties.(4) It’s stem has some chemical constituents like alkaloid berberine (I), palmatine (II), Giloin, and glucoside. Ayurvedic literature quotes different parts of guduchi as a constituent of several compound preparations, like stem is a bitter stomachic, stimulates bile secretion causes constipation, tonic, allays thirst, fever, burning sensation prevents vomiting, diuretic, enriches the blood, cures jaundice ,useful in skin diseases, the juice is useful in diabetes, vaginal and urethral discharges, low fever and enlarged spleen. This paper describes the plant’s medicinal aspects and chemical constituents in its different parts, this paper also provides brief information of plant bio prospecting