Guduchi Powder Health Benefits & Side Effects

Guduchi is regarded as one of the most valuable herbs in Ayurveda. Also known as Tinospora cordifolia, Guduchi is often referred to as ‘Amrit,’ meaning the nectar of life. Even though there are insufficient studies that confirm the various beneficial properties of Guduchi, the interest in Guduchi and the Guduchi powder is rapidly growing. It is primarily due to an abundance of anecdotal evidence that supports Guduchi’s role as a potent herb. It is believed to help boost the body’s resistance to anxiety, stress, and even illness. 

Guduchi is an Indian medicinal plant that’s been used in Ayurvedic preparations for treating various ailments for centuries. Ancient Hindu doctors prescribed it for gonorrhea. Europeans who went to India became interested in the diuretic properties of T. cordifolia. The ready tincture has received official recognition in the Indian Pharmacopoeia. It’s been used as a treatment for general weakness, fever, dyspepsia, dysentery, gonorrhea, secondary syphilis, urinary diseases, gingivitis, viral hepatitis, impotence, skin diseases, and anemia. In chemical formulations, Guduchi can be used clinically to treat jaundice, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. The root is regarded as a powerful emetic and can be used for bowel obstruction.

The leaf of Guduchi can be distinctly identified owing to its heart-shaped design. It has been used for treatment purposes for thousands of years by Ayurvedic practitioners in the treatment of water-borne diseases like jaundice, fever, urinary tract infections and disorders, and digestive disorders as well.

Here are some of the known health benefits of Guduchi powder.

1. Guduchi Boosts and Activates the Immune System

Guduchi powder is commonly known as the ‘Nectar of Immunity. Studies have shown that the Guduchi supplement can help improve the ability of macrophages in your blood. [1] Macrophages are the immune cells that help trap and digest foreign substances, cellular debris, microbes, dangerous bacteria and viruses, and anything else that can pose a threat to the health of your body. 

The study found that Guduchi powder or Guduchi supplementation in any form possesses strong immune-boosting properties. The components of Guduchi help stimulate the natural killer cells, B cells, and also T cells of the immune system. At the same time, it also escalated the production of immune-stimulating cytokines. The study concluded that Guduchi extracts not only possess properties to stimulate the immune system, but also have hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.

2. Guduchi Helps in Allergies

Guduchi powder is known to be especially useful in fighting against allergy symptoms. It helps people who have allergic rhinitis and dramatically reduces the symptoms of a stuffy nose, sneezing, red eyes, and itching. Guduchi is commonly known in Ayurveda as being a histamine stabilizer. Many animal studies have found that Guduchi helps reduce histamine-induced bronchospasms or the narrowing of the airways that leads to breathing difficulties. It also helped in stabilizing mast cells, which have been found to interact directly with bacteria. This interaction has a critical role in host defense against pathogens during an allergic inflammatory reaction.[2]

Guduchi also works excellently well in claiming the histamine reactions in the body by catalyzing more histamine whenever needed.

3. Guduchi Enhances Liver Health

Many studies have shown that Guduchi powder has a strong ability to heal the liver and even reverse liver damage, especially damage that has been caused due to alcoholism. One such study found that treating participants with Guduchi extract for 14 days helped reverse many of the biomarkers related to liver damage. [3]

A 2017 study published in ‘Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine’ found that Guduchi powder helped in treating alcohol-induced liver toxicity. [4] It concluded that Guduchi powder helped in treating alcohol-induced liver toxicity by regulating antioxidant enzymes in the body, improving the overall liver function, regulating the metabolism of cholesterol in the body, and also by controlling the overall activity of liver enzymes. [5]

Guduchi powder also boosts antioxidant defenses in the body, regulates cholesterol levels by regulating cholesterol metabolism, and further helps boost liver functioning to fight off alcohol toxicity. 

4. Guduchi Promotes Detoxification of the Body

Guduchi is believed to help in the overall detoxification of the body owing to its powerful antioxidant properties. The herb is known to boost the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the body, search for the damage-causing free radicals, and also regulates the production of these enzymes. [6] 

Guduchi powder is also rich in alkaloids such as palmatine and choline, which contributes to the potent antioxidant power of this herb. As discussed above, Guduchi has a significant role to play in cleaning the liver, which is the major detoxification organ of the body. Guduchi helps clean up the entire body with its purifying actions primarily focused on the liver tissue.[7]

5. Guduchi is an Anti-diabetic

Guduchi has very high anti-diabetic potential, no matter what form it is used in. The Ayurvedic fraternity frequently prescribes this herb in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Many recent studies have found and established that Guduchi has a high therapeutic potential in treating type 2 diabetes.[8]

For example, a randomized clinical trial conducted on 100 participants of both genders who had type 2 diabetes were administered Guduchi powder orally in 500 milligrams dosage two times a day mixed in lukewarm water. It was delivered at least half an hour before their meals for four weeks. The efficiency of this therapy was then determined based on how much relief the participants experienced in the many signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes such as lipid profile, blood sugar, and some more routine hematological, biochemical, and urine examinations. [9] 

After the data analysis, researchers found that participants who were given the Guduchi powder instead of the placebo experienced a significant reduction in blood sugar. Additionally, they also experienced relief in many of the common signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

The anti-diabetic benefits of Guduchi are believed to be due to the presence of the potent plant compound berberine. Berberine’s properties in lowering blood sugar have already been widely studied and documented.[10]

One research study from the Journal of Ethnopharmacology looked at the efficiency of Guduchi in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in diabetic rats. [11] The study focused on finding the efficacy of Guduchi powder in lowering the blood glucose levels and brain lipid levels in diabetic rats. The study successfully proved that extract of the Guduchi herb had powerful hypoglycemic (sugar reducing) and fat metabolizing (hypolipidemic) effects on rats. 

At the same time, another study also found that the blood glucose levels dropped significantly in patients who had moderate to severe diabetes when administered Guduchi extract for 4 to 15 weeks. [12]

Limited clinical studies show few negative reactions; GI symptoms (nausea, anorexia, vomiting) have been reported. No toxicity has been discovered in Ayurvedic therapeutic doses. Hepatotoxicity has been reported with the medicinally synonymous and associated species, Tinospora crispa.

Guduchi is believed to be safe for use for generally everybody, including children above the age of 5 years. However, it is better if the herb is taken under the supervision of a healthcare provider or an Ayurvedic practitioner.  People who are already following an anti-diabetic treatment plan need to use Guduchi with caution and only after consulting your doctor. This caution is required as Guduchi may interact with diabetes medications and lead to a sudden drop in blood sugar levels.