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Tinospora cordifolia - (Willd.) Hook.f. & Thomson

Common Name Kanda Amrta
Family Menispermaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry districts at low elevations[464 ]. Deciduous and dry forests.
Range E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (4 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Tinospora cordifolia Kanda Amrta


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Tinospora cordifolia Kanda Amrta
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Summary

Commonly grown in East Asia, Kandra Amrta (Tinospora cordifolia) is a large, deciduous climbing shrub with several twining branches. It is native to India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka and known for other common names such as heart-leaved moonseed, guduchi, and giloy. Its leaves are simple and alternate, and used as a tonic tea. A dioecious species, female flowers are usually solitary while male flowers occur in clusters. T. cordifolia is valued as medicinal plant. It is one of the ingredients of Amrit Kalash, an Ayurvedic tonic formula. It is also used in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, fevers due to cold, indigestion, rheumatism, urinary disease, bronchitis, and infertility. On the other hand, the aerial roots are used for tying bundles.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of climber
Tinospora cordifolia is a deciduous Climber growing to 15 m (49ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Menispermum cordifolium Willd.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses: Tea

Leaves - used as a tonic tea[301 ].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative  Antidiarrhoeal  Antidote  Antirheumatic  Aphrodisiac  Diuretic  Dysentery  Febrifuge  
Febrifuge  Infertility  Tonic  Urinary

The stem, root and whole plant are alterative, antidote, aphrodisiac, diuretic, febrifuge and tonic[146 , 304 ]. The starch obtained from the stem and root of the plant is nutrient and is useful in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[304 ]. The fresh plant is more effective than the dried[304 ]. A watery extract, known as 'Indian Quinine' is a very effective treatment for fevers due to cold or indigestion[304 ]. The plant is also commonly used in a variety of other complaints including rheumatism, urinary disease, general debility, bronchitis and infertility[304 ]. One of the ingredients of the Ayurvedic tonic formula Amrit Kalash[301 ].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

String

Agroforestry Uses: Some species in this genus are the larval hosts of fruit-piercing noctuid moths that cause significant damage to crops of Citrus (particularly Mandarins) and Dimocarpus longan (Longan) in Thailand[266 ]. Other Uses The aerial roots are used as a tying material for tying bundles[454 ].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - Cuttings - very easy, the plant naturally produces aerial roots in the wild.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Amarlata, Bael tiga, Kanda amrta, Rasakinda, amariat, amarlata, ambarvel, amirtavalli, amrita, amritalata, amrithaballi, amrta, amrtavalli, amrulballi, amrutaballi, amruth, amrutoballi, amrytu, amudam, amutavalli, am?tavalli, am?ta, asasi, batindu, cañcivi, chakrangi, chinnodbhava, chinnodbhava, chittamrutu, cìnthil tha??u (stem), cinthil ko?i, comavalli, dhira, gadancha, gado, gaduchi, galac, galo, garham, garo, garum, gharol, gilo, giloe, giloy, giroli, golancha, guduchi, guduci, guducika, gulancha, gulancha tinospora, gularish, gulbel, gulo, gulochi, guloe, guluchi, guluncha, gulvel, gulwel, gurach, gurcha, gu?ucika, gu?uci (stem), heart leaved mooseed|rasakinda, indian tinospora, kunali, kundalli, ku??ali, liane goulancha, liane serpent, madhuka, madhuparne, madhuparni, madhupar?i, manpala, ningilo, peyamarytam, sadi, seendal, seendil kodi, siddhilata, siddhilate, silam, sindil kodi, sittamrytu, somida, thippateega, uganiballi.

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Asia, India, Northeastern India, Sri Lanka,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Tinospora crispaPatawali, Akar PatawaliClimber10.0 10-12 FLMHNDM040
Tinospora sagittata Perennial Climber20.0 -  LMHSNM01 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

(Willd.) Hook.f. & Thomson

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

Readers comment

awalludin ramlee   Sun May 15 16:27:38 2005

Link: Biotech Forum

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Subject : Tinospora cordifolia  
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