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Tinospora Cordifolia

  • Vitamins & Supplements
  • Updated March 22, 2019

Tinospora cordifolia, also known as guduchi or amrita, is a plant used in Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian medical system that combines natural products with lifestyle approaches. It has been researched most extensively for alleviating hay fever. Various compounds present in Tinospora cordifolia include antioxidants, berberine, and those that modulate immune responses. While a few preclinical studies suggest it may improve cognitive functions, no studies have been conducted in humans. It can interact with medications, including anti-diabetics and immunosuppressants.

Evidence

There have been a few clinical trials on Tinospora cordifolia, but none of them have examined its impact on cognitive function or brain health

Our search identified:

  • 0 meta-analyses or clinical trials
  • 0 observational studies
  • 3 preclinical studies on possible mechanisms of action

Potential Benefit

There is no clinical evidence that Tinospora cordifolia prevents cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease.

Preclinical studies suggest that treatment with Tinospora cordifolia may improve cognitive functions in a model of sleep deprivation [1] and drug-induced amnesia [2]. These protective benefits appeared to be due to decreased markers of inflammation and cell death [1][3]. However, no studies in humans have confirmed these findings.

For Dementia Patients

No human research has examined whether Tinospora cordifolia can benefit patients with dementia.

Safety

A small, eight-week clinical trial in hay fever patients suggested that Tinospora cordifolia is generally well-tolerated with side effects that included nasal pain and headache [4]. Safety has not been evaluated for longer periods of treatment or for patients with existing health conditions. Tinospora cordifolia can lower blood sugar levels and therefore may interact with anti-diabetic medications (e.g., glimepiride, glyburide, insulin, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, glipizide, etc.). Tinospora cordifolia may also cause the immune system to become more active, and thus increase the symptoms of autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). Tinospora cordifolia interacts with immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclosporine, azathioprine, basiliximab, corticosteroids, prednisone, tacrolimus, sirolimus, and others) [5].

NOTE: This is not a comprehensive safety evaluation or complete list of potentially harmful drug interactions. It is important to discuss safety issues with your physician before taking any new supplement or medication.

How to Use

Tinospora cordifolia supplements are available over the counter in the forms of capsules, powder, liquid extracts, or whole dried herbs. For hay fever, 300 mg of aqueous extract of the stem taken orally 3 times per day improved symptoms [4]. It is best to take Tinospora cordifolia with a meal.

Learn More

Information on use, dosing, and adverse reactions from Tinospora cordifolia on Drugs.com.

References