Have you heard about Giloy or Guduchi? A very common and popular Ayurvedic plant, it is known to treat several diseases.
Let’s take a closer look at what Giloy is and what are its benefits and uses in this article.
Giloy As Mentioned in Ayurveda
The Giloy plant (scientifically termed Tinospora cordifolia) enjoys a long tradition of extensive use because of its therapeutic properties.
Ayurveda refers to the plant as Guduchi, which literally translates to protector from diseases, or as amrita (nectar), which has the innate property to make the user immortal.
Numerous Ayurvedic texts mention Giloy as a Patra shaka (or leafy vegetable), thereby suggesting that the plant was extensively used as a vegetable.
Ayurvedic Properties and Uses of Giloy
The Giloy plant (whose scientific name is Tinospora cordifolia) enjoys a long tradition of extensive use because of its therapeutic properties. Ayurveda refers to the plant as Guduchi, which literally translates to protector from diseases, or as amrita (nectar), which has the innate property to make the user immortal. Numerous Ayurvedic texts mention Giloy as a Patra shaka (or leafy vegetable), thereby suggesting that the plant was extensively used as a vegetable.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of Giloy.
Giloy is a potential drug in Ayurveda because it is replete with life energy and has a wide range of uses. It can help in prolonging life and is often used in the treatment of fever, urinary tract disorders, diabetes, jaundice, anaemia, cardiac problems, asthma, and many more. It is a popular immune-modulator herb that may help in the recovery or prevention of auto-immune disorders. According to Acharya Charak, Giloy is one among the 4 Medya Rasayan, where its Swaras are to be administered to obtain all benefits of Rasayana.
Its Vipaka is Madhura, Veerya is Ushna, and Ras is Tikta. Its gunas include Snigdha and Laghu. It successfully balances Tridosha in the human body. Giloy is a rich source of antioxidants. Moreover, it has anti-viral, antipyretic, and wound-healing properties.
Some of the health benefits of Giloy are mentioned below:
- Medicinal Properties: Giloy (which is more commonly referred to as Guduchi) is an Ayurvedic medicinal herb used for the purpose of Rasayan Chikitsa. Rasayan (or rejuvenation therapy) is one of the most essential branches of Ayurveda that has been practised extensively and effectively since millennia. Giloy has numerous medicinal properties such as anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiarthritic, antistress, antimalarial, antileprotic, antiallergic, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory.
- Giloy’s Rasayan Effects: Rasayan drugs primarily act on nutrition dynamics and help in rejuvenating both the body and psyche. Such drugs also promote strength and intellect, prevention of diseases, and ultimately prolongation of life. Through Rasayan, one can attain longevity, excellent memory and intelligence, freedom from common illnesses, and wonderful complexion, lustre, voice, and optimum strength of the sense organs and physique. It has been scientifically proven that Giloy (as a Rasayan) increases the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster, which is a fruit fly.
- Antipyretic Effects: Fever is a surrogate marker for disease activity in numerous infections as well as inflammatory disorders. Giloy is extremely popular when it comes to Ayurvedic therapeutics because of its efficacy in the treatment of fever (or Jwara). Several researchers have ascribed Giloy’s antipyretic property to the presence of berberine as well as other bitter substances.
- Hypoglycaemic Effects: Presently available synthetic, oral anti-diabetic drugs can partially compensate for metabolic derangements but do not always improve the elementary biochemical lesions, in addition to giving rise to side effects. It has been estimated that there are about 800 plant species that exhibit hypoglycemic properties, and Giloy is one of them. Researchers have only recently been able to successfully appreciate the immense therapeutic potential of Giloy, which is a highly potent anti-diabetic herb. It has been reported that 1,2-substituted pyrrolidines that are isolated from the plant’s stem are primarily responsible for its antidiabetic activity.
- Anti-Inflammatory Activity: Inflammation can be acute or chronic based on the host’s defence capacity and duration of response. In one study, it has been noted that Giloy prepared by the classical method produced a significant suppression of carrageenan-induced oedema, which indicates that it helps in inhibiting fluid exudation and therefore acute inflammation. Thus, Giloy has proven to have significant anti-inflammatory activities.
To Sum It All Up
Giloy is one of the Medya Rasayana which promotes life, alleviates disease, and enhances strength, complexion, intellect, and voice. In addition, it helps in attaining longevity and intelligence and boosting memory. All the properties of Rasayan are present in Giloy, which is one of the most potent drugs in the ancient medical system of Ayurveda. Giloy has antipyretic, antidiabetic, rejuvenating, and anti-inflammatory properties. It should be consumed regularly to obtain all the benefits of being a Rasayan. Further studies need to be conducted to know more about this potent drug. Being a miracle drug in the field of Ayurveda, Giloy must be consumed regularly to attain optimum health and other lifestyle challenges.
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