Giloy

Giloy (Tinospora Cordifolia) is an Ayurvedic medicinal herb that can boost your immunity and combat various fevers.

Popular in Ayurvedic treatments, Giloy is also used in several Dr. Vaidya’s products, including Dr Vaidyas Giloy Juice, and Dr Vaidyas Giloy Capsules.

In this post, we will be going to discuss this herb’s Ayurvedic benefits, side effects and dosage.

What Is Giloy?

Giloy is also known as Amrita in Sanskrit which can be translated to ‘the root of immortality,’ showcasing the abundant medicinal properties of the herb. Giloy is known as Gulvel in Marathi, Guduchi in Hindi, and Chintil in Tamil.

This medicinal plant has high nutrient content and is packed with alkaloids and is best known for its immunity-boosting benefits.

According to the Ayurvedic text Charak Samhita, Giloy is a key herb that has a bitter taste that can alleviate Vata and Kapha dosha.

The leaves, roots, as well as stem, are used in Ayurved to produce powdered extract and immunity-boosting juice. It has a bitter taste and is said to balance all three doshas.

Several studies have used Giloy to treat fevers and boost immunity. It is also an antioxidant with anti-toxic and anti-inflammatory properties. Giloy is one of the three Amrit (root of immortality) plants in Vedic science.

The Top 14 Health Benefits Of Giloy:

Unlike contemporary medicine, Ayurvedic medicines and herbs are known for their diverse health benefits.

1) Boosts Your Immune System

The most prominent benefit of Giloy is its ability to boost your immunity and vitality. Giloy extract contains antioxidants that help protect against free radicals and eject toxins from the body. Drinking Giloy juice can also support your body against urinary tract infections, liver diseases, and heart-related conditions. It also improves skin health with its detoxifying effects.

2) Improves Your Digestion

Along with boosting your immunity, Giloy also protects your body from digestion related problems. These include vomiting, hyperacidity, and diarrhoea. Taking Giloy powder or juice is a great way to maintain and strengthen your digestive system.

3) Giloy Combats Chronic Fever

According to Ayurved, two factors cause a chronic fever; Ama (residue toxins from improper digestion) and foreign particles in the body. Giloy fight against chronic fever with its anti-inflammatory and antipyretic (Javraghna) properties. It also boosts immunity while supporting early recovery. Giloy also stimulates the Deepan (appetizer) and Pachan (digestive) processes, improving nutrient absorption and supporting the immune system.

4) Giloy Combats Hay Fever

Giloy is effective against Hay fever, also known as Allergic rhinitis which is known to cause symptoms like nasal congestion, watery eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. According to Ayurved, allergies occur when the Kapha experiences an imbalance due to Ama (toxic remains) in the body. Just take a glass of Giloy juice with honey on an empty stomach to reduce the symptoms. You can alternatively take a half teaspoon of Giloy powder with honey.

5) Giloy Combats Dengue Fever

Giloy contains antipyretic properties that reduces fever while boosting platelet count to combat dengue fever. It can also lower the chance of complications while promoting recovery from weakness caused by Dengue. Experts recommend drinking Giloy juice with Tulsi leaves to increase platelet count and counter Dengue fever.

6) Treats Gout And Arthritis

The anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties of Giloy can help combat gout and arthritis. Taking Giloy capsules regularly is recommended for most people suffering from arthritis or gout. Giloy has uricosuric activity that can help reduce uric acid levels while balancing the Vata to counter gout.

7) Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

Giloy is known as Madhunashini in Ayurved, translating to the destroyer of sugar. It can promote insulin production to lower blood glucose levels. It also helps against diabetes complications like kidney problems, ulcers, and non-healing wounds.

8) May Combat Coronavirus

Research is being conducted to prove the effectiveness of Giloy on coronavirus infection. However, it is proven that Giloy can boost immunity and may help fight against various viral fevers. You can take a glass of Giloy juice before every meal for its immunity-boosting benefits.

9) Reduces Stress And Anxiety

While there are physical health benefits to Giloy, the herb also has mental health benefits. It can help lower your anxiety and stress while promoting cognitive function and memory. You can drink Giloy juice to help calm your mind and relax your body.

10) Improves Eyesight

When used in Panchkarma, applying Giloy topically is very effective at improving eyesight. For this, you will need to use Giloy powder or leaves that have been boiled (and later cooled) in water.

11) Improves Wound Healing & Skin Health

Applying Giloy leaf paste to the skin can help improve skin regeneration and promote wound healing. Giloy inhibits the production of Ama while balancing the Kapha. The herb stimulates the body’s rejuvenative (Rasayana) factors to speed up wound healing. Additionally, it can also stimulate better skin health because it promotes collagen production.

12) Protects The Liver

Giloy is known to slow down degeneration and boost new cell growth because of its Rasayana (rejuvenating) properties. This allows the herb to protect the body from liver problems like fatty liver and liver cirrhosis. It also stimulates liver function while detoxifying and protecting the organ from free radical damage. Giloy is also a key ingredient in an Ayurvedic powder called Guduchi Satwa.

13) Might Counter Cancer

According to Ayurved, Giloy balances the Vita-Pitta-Kapha in the body. This might reduce the risk of cancer by inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells. Modern science has shown Giloy to have anti-proliferative properties that also support the Ayurvedic views on this herb against breast cancer.

14) Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Since Giloy improves the metabolic rate and is capable of ejecting toxins from the body, it can help lower high cholesterol levels as well. This is done by stimulating the Deepan (appetizer), Rasayana (rejuvenating), and Pachan (digestive) properties in the body.

Giloy Dosage:

The dosage to take Giloy depends on the form it’s in. You can find Giloy juice as well as Giloy capsules online.

The recommended dosage:

• Giloy Juice: Take 30 ml of the juice diluted in a glass of water once every morning on an empty stomach.
• Giloy Capsules: Take 1 capsule every morning after breakfast. You can take 2 capsules in severe cases (after consulting an Ayurvedic doctor).

You can also get Giloy powder but it’s not as smooth as the juice and far more bitter than the capsules. The powder will also have to be properly weighed to ensure the right potency. In my opinion, Giloy capsules are the easiest way to take Giloy.

Giloy Side Effects:

Giloy is generally considered safe to use for the short-term and with the recommended dosage.

However, there are a few precautions you may need to take with Giloy:

• Giloy stimulates the immune system. So, anyone with an autoimmune disease should avoid taking this Ayurvedic medicine.
• Due to the lack of scientific evidence, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should avoid Giloy.
• This herb lowers blood sugar levels and diabetes patients should be careful.

Comparing the precautions and benefits, it’s clear that Giloy is a potent Ayurvedic medicine that’s helped many.

References:

1. Saha S, Ghosh S.Tinospora cordifolia: one plant, many roles.Anc Sci Life.2012;31(4):151-9.
2. Mishra A, Kumar S, Pandey AK.Scientific validation of the medicinal efficacy of Tinospora cordifolia.Scientific World Journal.2013.
3. Kalikar MV, Thawani VR, Varadpande UK, et al. Immunomodulatory effect of Tinospora cordifolia extract in human immuno-deficiency virus positive patients. Indian J Pharmacol.2008;40(3):107-110.
4. Siriwardene SAD, Karunathilaka LPA, Kodituwakku ND, et al. Clinical efficacy of Ayurved treatment regimen on Subfertility with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).Ayu.2010;31(1): 24–27.
5. Barua CC, Talukdar A, Barua AG et al.Evaluation of the wound healing activity of methanolic extract of Azadirachta indica (neem) and tinospora cordifolia (guduchi) in rats.Pharmacologyonline.2010;1:70-77.
6. Mishra A, Kumar S, Pandey AK.Scientific validation of the medicinal efficacy of Tinospora cordifolia. The Scientific World Journal.2013:1-8.
7. Upadhyay AK, Kumar K, Kumar A, et al.Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Hook. f. and Thoms. (Guduchi) – Validation of the Ayurvedic pharmacology through experimental and clinical studies.Int J Ayurved Res.2010;1(2):112–121.
8. Mittal J.Tinospora cordifolia: a multipurpose medicinal plant- A review. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies.2014;2(2):32-47.
9. Tiwari M, Dwivedi UN, Kakkar P.Tinospora cordifolia extract modulates COX-2, iNOS, ICAM-1, pro-inflammatory cytokines and redox status in murine model of asthma.J Ethnopharmacol.2014;153(2):326-37.
10. Sharma R, Amin H, Prajapati K, et al.Antidiabetic claims of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers: Critical appraisal and role in therapy.Asian Pac J Trop Biomed.2015;5(1):68-78.
11. Sharma V, Pandey D.Beneficial effects of Tinospora cordifolia on blood profiles in male mice exposed to lead.Toxicol Int.2010;17(1):8–11.
12. Chauhan DS, Lata S, Sharma RK, et al. Evaluation of Role of Tinospora Cordifolia (T.cord.) In Experimentally Induced (Busulfan Induced) Thrombocytopenia In Rabbits.Indian journal of research.2016;5(6):96-99.