Giloy Health Benefits And Uses Details

In Ayurveda Giloy is a very important and extensively used Ayurvedic medicinal herb. It is also known as Gurach, Galo, Gulancha, Guduchi, Amrita, Shindilkodi, Guruch, Guduch, Gudurchi, Gulancha, Heart-Leaved Moonseed and Tinospora. It belongs to plant family Menispermaceae. It is an herbaceous vine that propagates through stem cutting. Giloy is used in treatment of Gout, Pile, general, debility, fever, Jaundice and other disorders. It is given to treat chronic cases of fever with enlarged spleen.

Overview Giloy Herb

Giloy is known as Amrita, which means elixir of life due to its medicinal properties and numerous health benefits. Please read on to know in detail the immense potential of Giloy to cure diseases and to promote good health, and also why it is Amrit.

For medicinal purpose stem, leaves and roots of plant are generally used. The stem contains several active adaptogenic constituents such as tinosporone, tinosporic acid, cordifolisides A to E, syringen, the yellow alkaloid, berberine, giloin, and a glucosidal bitter principle as well as polysaccharides, including arabinogalactan polysaccharide. These active constituents are found to possess anticomplementary and immunomodulatory activities.

Vernacular names

1. Sanskrit : Amritavalli, Amrita, Madhuparni, Guducika, Chinnobhava
2. Assamese : Siddhilata, Amarlata
3. Bengali : Gulancha
4. Gujrati : Galac, Garo
5. Hindi : Giloe, Gurcha
6. Kannada : Amrutaballi
7. Kashmiri : Amrita, Gilo
8. Malayalam : Chittamrutu
9. Marathi : Gulvel
10. Oriya : Guluchi
11. Punjabi : Gilo
12. Tamil : Seendal, Seendil kodi
13. Telugu : Thippateega
14. Urdu : Gilo

Part Used: Stem, Root, Plant, Fruit

Stem: Stem-pieces glabrous, cylindrical, solid, lenticillate, 5-15 mm in diameter having light brown surface marked with warty protuberances due to circular lenticels. Transversely smoothened surface shows a radial structure with conspicuous medullary rays traversing porous tissues.

Ayurvedic Properties and Action of Tinospora

1. Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya
2. Guna : Laghu
3. Virya : Ushna
4. Vipaka : Madhura
5. Karma : Balya, Dipana, Rasayana, Sangrahi, Tridoshashamaka, Raktashodhaka, Jvaraghna
6. Therapeutic uses in Ayurveda: Jvara, Kushtha, Pandu, Prameha, Vatarakta, Kamala.

Dosage of Giloy

3-6 g in powder form, 20-30 g of the drug for decoction. Children should be given half dosage compared to adult.

Medicinal Properties of Giloy with meaning

1. Adaptogen (to help the body adapt to stress): increases the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.
2. Alterative: restores to normal health.
3. Analgesic: provides pain relief.
4. Antibacterial: active against bacteria, destroys bacteria or suppresses their growth or their ability to reproduce.
5. Antidiabetic: The oral administration of the extract of Tinospora cordifolia roots for 6 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in blood and urine glucose and in lipids in serum and tissues in alloxan diabetic rats. The extract also prevented a decrease in body weight.
6. Anti-inflammatory: reduces inflammation or swelling.
7. Antioxidant: inhibits oxidation, removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.
8. Antiperiodic: Preventing regular recurrence of the symptoms of a disease, as in malaria, fever.
9. Antipyretic: effective against fever, called also antifebrile.
10. Antispasmodic: relieves spasm of involuntary muscle. Used to prevent spasms of the muscles, stomach, intestine or urinary bladder.
11. Antiviral: active against viral infections.
12. Astringent: causes contraction of skin cells and other body tissues.
13. Choleretic: increase the volume of secretion of bile from the liver as well as the amount of solids secreted.
14. Deobstruent: removes obstructions. It has the power to clear or open the natural ducts of the fluids and secretions of the body.
15. Diuretic: causes increased passing of urine.
16. Hepatoprotective: has the ability to prevent damage to the liver.
17. Hypoglycemic: lowers the blood sugar level.
18. Immunomodulatory: immunomodulator modifies the immune response or the functioning of the immune system (as by the stimulation of antibody formation or the inhibition of white blood cell activity). They act to strengthen weak immune systems and to moderate immune systems that are overactive. Immunomodulator helps in prevention and treatment of a wide range of disorders such as the inflammatory diseases of skin, gut, respiratory tract, joints and central organs.
19. Giloy stimulate macrophages and enhance their phagocytic activity and intracellular killing activity.
20. Lipolytic: breaks lipids and involves hydrolysis of triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids.
21. Tonic: restores or improves health or well-being.

Diseases in which Giloy is Effective

The powder / Churna, Giloy Sat or decoction of Giloy can be used in treatment of following diseases.

1. Anemia, Bacteria
2. Cough, Cramp
3. Debility, Dermatosis, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Dyspepsia
4. Erysipelas / red patches on the skin
5. Fever, Fracture
6. Gonorrhea, Gout
7. Hemorrhoid
8. Hepatosis / any non-inflammatory functional disorder of the liver
9. Impotence, Inflammation, inflammation of the urethra,
10. Jaundice
11. Malaria
12. Pain, Painful urination
13. Rheumatism
14. Spermatorrhoea
15. Thirst, Tuberculosis,
16. Viral infection
17. Water Retention

Health Benefits of Giloy Stem

1. It is rejuvenator.
2. It increases body immunity against diseases.
3. It removes toxins from body.
4. It is General anthelmintic.
5. It is bitter tonic that helps by improving digestion and assimilation.
6. It removes obstruction in channels, burns toxic waste (ama) and balances Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
7. The fresh leaf juice has diuretic action. It gives relief in burning and painful urination.
8. It reduces cholesterol and lipid level.
9. It gives strength to heart and cures weakness of heart.
10. It is the best herb to cure fevers in all type of diseases, including malaria, typhoid, jaundice and tuberculosis. The decoction of Giloy, taken for few days, thrice a day cures fever.
11. For digestive system, it is a boon. It protects liver and cures liver disorders. It gives relief in excessive acid secretion, ulcer formation, gastritis, gallbladder inflammation, indigestion, gas and constipation.

List Of Medicines Containing Giloy

1. Amritarishta (all types of fever) it boost immunity can be used as immunity booster.
2. Amritottara Kvatha Churna
3. Guduchi Taila
4. Guduchyadi Kashayam 
5. Guduchi Satva / Giloy Sat
6. Chitrak Haritaki
7. Dashmularishta
8. Nimbadi Churna
9. Kaishore Guggulu for Gout treatment
10. Giloy Ghanvati

Giloy can be used in both dried and fresh form. The fresh stem can be used to extract juice and for preparing decoction. The dried form can be taken in dose of 3-6 grams along with appropriate other ingredients. Tinospora does not produce any side-effects. It is safe for everyone.