12+ Benefits of Giloy/Gulancha Tinospora – Uses and Side Effects

Benefits of Giloy/Gulancha Tinospora – Amazing Health Benefits, Uses, and Side Effects

Introduction

The world is filled with a huge number (about 2,50,000) of plant species. And among them almost 80,000 species are medicinal. The uses of these medicinal plants are based on folk beliefs continuing since ages. ‘Giloy’ is one of these kinds of medicinal plants. From early times, the uses and benefits of Giloy have been witnessed as medicine for the treatment of various diseases or health problems.

What is Giloy?

Benefits of Giloy-Gulancha Tinospora - Uses and Side Effects
Benefits of Giloy/Gulancha Tinospora Leaves

Giloy is a herbal vine. The plant belongs to the indigenous Menispermaceae families of the tropical regions of India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Giloy is widely available in all the tropical regions of India. 

What Does it look like?

Giloy is a bush climbing creeper with several long twinning branches spreading widely. The leaves of the swallow edifying are a set of simple and 15 cm long petioles that are round and pulsating both at base and top. The leaves of the vine are heart shaped and dark to medium green in color. Lamina is a wide ovary which is 8-15cm wide, 10-20cm long and has 7 nerves  and deeply eroded at top and membranous at the base, pubescent white tomantos with a prominent reticulum below. 

Giloy’s male flowers are clustered together but the females usually stay separately. The flowers are grown in a chain of 2-3. The outer ones are smaller than the internal ones. There are 5-6 petals in the flower. The fruits of Giloy vine are clustered in a group of 2-3 and red to orange in color.  

Medicinal Properties

In Ayurvedic treatments Giloy is used for many diseases.  In fact, this widely used medicinal agent is named as “Amaratwa Mula” in Ayurveda.  There are many health benefits of Giloy. 

This herb is a rich source of antioxidants which helps the body to fight against free radicals and lowers the risk of cancer.

Giloy flushes out the harmful elements from the human body, purifies blood and fights against bacteria. For people suffering from liver diseases, Giloy is extremely beneficial. It is Antipyretic, which means it can reduce the effects of fever. It is also capable of reducing life threatening fevers like malaria, dengue, swine flu etc. consuming fresh Giloy juice may increase your immunity. The benefits of Giloy can also be seen in case of skin problems.  It helps to reduce harmful elements from the body. 

Giloy stems are considered highly effective for its high nutritional and alkaline products present in it. Along with the stems, the leaves and roots are also useful. Giloy is a great herb with a bitter taste. The herb is used for various disorders and it helps to relieve joint and cough problems. Giloy is useful in diabetes for its bitter taste as it helps to control blood sugar levels. It also improves metabolism and helps to control weight. The leaves of Giloy are rough and bitter in taste. There are many benefits of Giloy in health as it helps in the food digestion process and improves appetite. 

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Healthy Qualities of Giloy/Tinospora cordifolia:

  • Anti-oxidant
  • Anti-hyperglycaemic
  • Anti-neoplastic
  • Antidote
  • Anti-hyper tic
  • Anti-allergic
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Anti-hyperlipidaemia
  • Anti-entrance

Chemical substance of Giloy/Tinospora cordifolia:

  • Alkaloid
  • Flavonoids
  • Steroids
  • Lignas
  • Carbohydrate
  • Tinosporin
  • Palme tin
  • Choline
  • Ethanol
  • Iscolumbin
  • Tembetarin
  • Bebeerine
  • Mango Florin
  • Aporphine

Various Lingual Names of Giloy

  • English : Indian Tinospora, Heart leaved Tinospora, Moon seed, Gulancha tinospora
  • Hindi : Giloy
  • Sanskrit : Amrita
  • Bengali : Gulancha, Palogandeha
  • Odia : Gulancha, Gulch
  • Kannada : Amritavalli, Amruthavalli
  • Gujrati : Gulvel, Galo
  • Tamil : Amritavalli, Shindilakodi
  • Telugu : Tippatige, Amrita, Guauchi
  • Punjabi : Gilogularich, Graham, Palo
  • Marathi : Gulavel, Ambarvel
  • Malayalam : Amritu, peyamrytam, Chittamritu

Scientific classification of Gulancha tinospora/Tinospora cordifolia:

  • Kingdom : Plantae
  • Clade : Tracheophytes
  • Clade : Angiosperms
  • Clade : Eudicots
  • Order : Ranunculales
  • Family : Menispermaceae
  • Genus : Tinospora
  • Species : T.cordifolia 
  • Scientific name : Tinospora Cordifolia

Uses and Benefits of Giloy/Tinospora Cordifolia:

  1. For Chronic Fever: 

Giloy is best for chronic diseases. The herb can do magic in this case. It is an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic herb which helps the body against infections by improving immunity and fastens recovery.  Giloy has special properties to treat fever. Take Giloy juice mixed with the same quantity of water in the morning on an empty stomach. This will help in this matter.  

  1. Cures Dengue fever: 

Giloy is an antipyretic herb. This reduces the complexity in dengue fever by improving Platelet counting. Consuming Giloy while suffering from dengue fever will improve immunity and fasten recovery. Take Giloy stem’s fresh juice and 5-7 leaves of tulsi, boil them together in half quantity of water and consume this mix on a daily basis. It will help in increasing the platelet counts. 

  1. Treats Hay fever: 

The benefits of Giloy are effective in case of Hay fever also known as allergic rhinitis. Giloy can reduce the symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion etc. To reduce body temperature, consume half teaspoon Giloy powder mixed with honey before meals. 

  1. For Coronavirus infection: 

Giloy can improve the immunity system and can be beneficial for various fevers, especially for coronavirus infection.  Though there is no proof in this context about the medicinal benefits of Giloy, the herb can support the body system in fighting against the virus by strengthening the immune system.  According to some scientific studies, Giloy shows promising results in controlling coronavirus infection. Consume Giloy juice or decoction for 4-6 weeks twice a day. Some studies even suggest consuming Giloy mixed with ashwagandha; it can create a protective shield for your body from the deadly virus. 

  1. Controls blood sugar level: 

In Ayurveda Giloy ‘Madhunashini’, this means ‘diabetes destroyer’. This helps to increase insulin production in the body. This eventually controls blood sugar levels. The benefits of Giloy can also be seen in the side effects of diabetes such as; ulcer, kidney problems etc. Take half teaspoon of Giloy powder mixed with water and consume it twice a day after having full meals.  

  1. Boosts Immunity: 

Giloy herb activates the immune system of the human body. For this, include Giloy juice or decoction in your regular diet. It will help in the process. It is filled with antioxidants which help in releasing toxins from the body. Giloy juice relieves pain and improves skin quality. The herb is also used for liver disease, urinary tract infections and heart related problems. 

  1. Improves Digestion: 

Giloy improves digestion and treats other health problems related to this such as; diarrhea, colitis, vomit, hyper acidity etc. For this, consume 1glass of lukewarm water mixed with half teaspoon of Giloy powder twice a day. 

  1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: 

Giloy is an excellent remedy for reducing mental stress and anxiety. It calms your body. The herb is also capable of increasing memory and cognitive function. Consume 2-3 teaspoons of Giloy powder mixed with the equal amount of water on an empty stomach.  

  1. Treats Arthritis and Gout: 

Giloy has anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic qualities which can relieve joint pain. For this, consume Giloy powder mixed with warm milk.  

  1. Improves Vision: 

The benefits of Giloy can be seen in improving vision power. It is usually used in ‘Panchkarma’. Giloy powder or Giloy leaf boiled in water and applied on the eye externally when cooled.  

  1. Reduces Asthmatic symptoms: 

Asthma causes chest tension, shortness of breath, coughing etc. Dr. Manoj K. Abuja of Fortis Hospital says, sewing Giloy roots or consuming Giloy juice helps in asthma problems and it is recommended by the experts to use.  

  1. Reduce signs of Ageing: 

Giloy has anti-ageing quality which reduces dark circles, pimples, wrinkles etc. Using this herb gives you a glowing spotless skin. 

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Uses of Giloy/Tinospora cordifolia

Every portion of Giloy plant is used for medicinal purposes. According to Ayurveda, Giloy can be eaten in powdered form or can be consumed as decoction. Nowadays, there are many supplements or products made from the Giloy plant. Giloy can also be used temporarily as a paste for skin problems. Regular dose of Giloy is to be consumed in amounts of 1 teaspoon at a time twice a day. The dose may vary depending on the type of health problem. The herb has different types of uses in treating various health issues.   

List of Giloy Products 

Side effects of Giloy

There are many health benefits of Giloy, at the same time it also has some side effects. Excessive use of Giloy may lead to some health issues such as-

  • Excessive consumption of Giloy may lead to constipation. 
  • Can lower blood sugar levels.
  • Can lead to some autoimmune diseases.
  • For pregnant and breastfeeding women Giloy may prove to be harmful. In such health conditions please avoid taking this herb.

Any medicinal herb should be used in the right quantity. Excessive consumption of any medicinal product can do damage to your health. Use the herb after noticing all the points carefully about the benefits and other qualities of Giloy. If you are suffering from some special health conditions, please take your doctor/specialist’s advice while consuming the herb as medicine or supplement. 

Conclusion

By the above article, you must have got to know about the herb Giloy. You must have found out the main elements it contains, its nutritious values, medicinal uses, harmful effects and especially the benefits of Giloy. We hope this article will help you overcome various disease or health problems using the information mentioned in the above article. Thank You!

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