Tinospora crispa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cocculus verrucosus
• Tinospora gibbericaulis
• Cocculus rimosus
• Tinospora thorelii
• Tinospora rumphii
• Tinospora tuberculata
• Tinospora verrucosa
• Menispermum rimosum
• Menispermum tuberculatum
• Nephroia bantamensis
• Menispermum bantamense
• Cocculus crispus
• Chasmanthera crispa
• Menispermum crispum
• Menispermum verrucosum
• Tinospora mastersii
• Cocculus bantamensis

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Ranunculales, it is situated in the family Menispermaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Tinospora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical presence across several key regions in Asia. In China, it is primarily distributed throughout the South-Central areas. Its range extends significantly into the Indian Subcontinent, where it can be found in India and Bangladesh. Additionally, the species is native to specific ecological zones such as Assam and the East Himalaya. Together, these locations highlight its diverse habitat within the subtropical landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Tinospora crispa is characterized by a climbing, woody growth habit that allows it to navigate through forest canopies to access sunlight. Its phenology is marked by a notable degree of plasticity regarding foliage retention, exhibiting a life cycle where its deciduousness can be described as deciduous, evergreen, or variable depending on the specific environmental conditions and seasonal shifts of its habitat. As a perennial climber, it undergoes seasonal cycles of growth and dormancy, often shedding leaves during dry periods to conserve moisture before regenerating lush, heart-shaped foliage. This variable leaf-retention strategy enables the plant to adapt to diverse climatic stressors, ensuring its survival across different ecological niches.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Morphology

The morphology of Tinospora crispa is characterized by its growth habit as an obligatory liana, functioning as a climbing vine that requires support to ascend. This plant reaches significant dimensions, with a mean height of approximately 10 m and a maximum potential height of up to 15 m. While it exhibits variable woodiness in its structure, it is fundamentally a terrestrial plant rather than an epiphyte.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

variable

Physiology

The physiology of Tinospora crispa is characterized by its metabolic processes as a woody climber, primarily focusing on its photosynthetic efficiency and complex secondary metabolism. The plant undergoes standard carbon fixation through the C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing sunlight to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbohydrates to fuel its extensive growth and climbing mechanism. Its nutritional physiology is defined by its reliance on soil-available mineral nutrients; specifically, it is not a nitrogen fixer, as it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria (such as Rhizobium) required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. Instead, it acquires nitrogen through the uptake of nitrates and ammonium ions from the substrate via its root system. The plant's physiological complexity is most evident in its biosynthesis of bioactive alkaloids, terpenoids, and glycosides, which are produced through intricate biochemical pathways to serve as chemical defense mechanisms and metabolic regulators. These secondary metabolites are distributed through its vascular tissues, contributing to its overall physiological resilience and adaptation to various environmental stressors.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Tinospora crispa primarily occurs through the production of small, fleshy fruits and seeds, facilitated by a cross-pollination mechanism. Regarding its reproductive strategy, self-fertilization is notably absent, meaning the plant relies on the transfer of pollen between different individual flowers to ensure genetic diversity. This process is typically mediated by insect pollinators, such as bees or other small insects, which move from one inflorescence to another. Following successful cross-pollination, the plant develops drupe-like fruits that are often dispersed by birds or other animals, which aid in the colonization of new habitats.

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tinospora crispa has 2 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem, leaf.

Stem

1. Nihon yakurigaku zasshi. Folia pharmacologica Japonica
2. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Phytochemistry
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Tinospora crispa has 20 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Palmatine, Terpenoids, borapetoside A, borapetoside C, Borapetoside E.

Palmatine

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Journal of AOAC International

Terpenoids

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
2. Current issues in molecular biology

borapetoside A

1. Journal of natural products
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

borapetoside C

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Current issues in molecular biology

Borapetoside E

1. Journal of natural products

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Current issues in molecular biology

Columbamine

1. Journal of AOAC International

Flavonoids

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Glycosides

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

IL-2

1. Heliyon

Activities

Tinospora crispa has 9 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Anticancer, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antimicrobial.

Antidiabetic

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
2. RSC advances
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
2. RSC advances

Antioxidant

1. RSC advances
2. Current issues in molecular biology

Analgesic

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Antimicrobial

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Antiparasitic

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Antipyretic

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Cytotoxic

1. Current issues in molecular biology

Hepatoprotective

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Conditions

Tinospora crispa has 32 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypertension, inflammation, insulin resistance, jaundice, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Hypertension

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Inflammation

1. Nihon yakurigaku zasshi. Folia pharmacologica Japonica
2. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe

Insulin resistance

1. Journal of natural products
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Jaundice

1. Phytochemistry reviews : proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Heliyon

Diabetes mellitus

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Diabetes mellitus

1. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

Hyperglycemia

1. Journal of natural products

Hyperlipidemia

1. Journal of natural products

Antidiabetic

1. RSC advances

Preparations

Tinospora crispa has 19 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, ethanol extract, water extract, 50% methanol extract, Tinospora crispa extract.

Aqueous extract

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Diabetologia

Ethanol extract

1. RSC advances
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Water extract

1. RSC advances
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

50% methanol extract

1. Nihon yakurigaku zasshi. Folia pharmacologica Japonica

Tinospora crispa extract

1. Diabetologia

Chloroform extract

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Crude ethanol extracts

1. Molecular medicine reports

Dried stems (st)

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethyl acetate extract

1. RSC advances

Ethyl ether- or water-soluble ones

1. Nihon yakurigaku zasshi. Folia pharmacologica Japonica