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Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Menispermum cordifolium
• Tinospora fosbergii
• Cocculus convolvulaceus
• Tinospora mahajanii
• Tinospora cordifolia var. congesta

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ranunculales, it is classified under the family Menispermaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Tinospora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across various regions within the Indian Subcontinent. It can be found growing naturally in the diverse landscapes of India and the neighboring country of Bangladesh. Furthermore, its presence extends to the lush areas of Assam and the mountainous terrain of the East Himalaya. The species also reaches the island nation of the Maldives, showcasing its adaptability to different environments. Together, these locations highlight the significant geographical range of Tinospora cordifolia throughout the region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Tinospora cordifolia is characterized by its nature as a perennial woody climber, allowing it to establish long-term presence within its ecosystem. Throughout its existence, the plant exhibits a deciduous growth habit, meaning it undergoes a seasonal shedding of its foliage. This lifecycle pattern allows the plant to navigate environmental shifts, managing its resources through periods of dormancy before regenerating new growth.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tinospora cordifolia is characterized by its growth as an obligatory climber, often reaching a substantial plant height with a mean of approximately 15 m. As a terrestrial species, it does not inhabit aquatic environments, instead utilizing its climbing habit to ascend other vegetation. The plant exhibits a complex growth form, categorized under both "other" and "shrub" classifications, reflecting its structural versatility. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with its host plants. Furthermore, its woodiness is described as variable, allowing it to adapt its structural integrity as it matures and climbs.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

obligatory

Growth form :

other

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

15 m

Woodiness :

variable

Physiology

The physiology of Tinospora cordifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process through the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy involves the standard Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition processes, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships or biological mechanisms required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium ions from the soil through its root system to satisfy its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and metabolic functions.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tinospora cordifolia has 3 reported plant parts identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem, leaf, root.

Stem

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Microbial ecology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. BMC plant biology
5. International immunopharmacology

Leaf

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Microbial ecology
3. Malaria journal
4. Planta medica
5. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering

Root

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Microbial ecology
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Heliyon

Chemicals

Tinospora cordifolia has 101 reported phytochemicals identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Steroids, Flavonoids, Terpenoids, berberine, Glycosides.

Steroids

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
4. Natural product communications
5. Functional & integrative genomics

Flavonoids

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Functional & integrative genomics
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Medeniyet medical journal
5. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Terpenoids

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Functional & integrative genomics
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Scientific reports

berberine

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. 3 Biotech
4. BioMed research international
5. Food science and biotechnology

Glycosides

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
4. Functional & integrative genomics
5. Current pharmaceutical design

Polysaccharide

1. PloS one
2. Immunology letters
3. International immunopharmacology
4. Tropical animal health and production
5. Redox report : communications in free radical research

Tinocordiside

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
4. In silico pharmacology
5. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Cordifolioside A

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. BMC plant biology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
5. Natural product communications

Magnoflorine

1. BMC plant biology
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Natural product communications
4. Scientific reports
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Flavonoid

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Veterinary medicine international
3. Scientific reports
4. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

Activities

Tinospora cordifolia has 36 reported activities identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. Talanta
2. In silico pharmacology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Tropical animal health and production
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. In silico pharmacology
4. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England)
5. Natural product communications

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Frontiers in chemistry
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Frontiers in nutrition
5. Food science and biotechnology

Hepatoprotective

1. Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Natural product communications
4. World journal of gastroenterology
5. Pharmacognosy magazine

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Omics : a journal of integrative biology
5. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition

Antibacterial

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
2. Tropical animal health and production
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Medeniyet medical journal
5. Environmental research

Antiviral

1. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Cureus
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Antipyretic

1. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
2. International journal of Ayurveda research
3. Recent patents on endocrine, metabolic & immune drug discovery
4. Genes

Antispasmodic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. International journal of Ayurveda research
3. Genes

Cytotoxic

1. In silico pharmacology
2. Current pharmaceutical design
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Medicinal Uses

Tinospora cordifolia has 139 reported medicinal uses identified across 44 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include jaundice, COVID-19, cancer, diabetes mellitus, inflammation.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations