Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda
Heart-leaved moonseed (Tinospora sinensis), of the Menispermaceae family. Large deciduous climber with heart-shaped leaves and warty corky bark; native range: moist forests from southern China through the eastern Himalaya to peninsular India. Globally recognized as guduchi · amrita · guruchi in Sanskrit, giloy in Hindi, kuan jin teng (宽筋藤) in Chinese, and guduchi · Chinese tinospora vine in English. The part used is stem. Succulent green stems turning corky and grey, mucilaginous and intensely bitter when chewed.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
HEART-LEAVED MOONSEED
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Heart-leaved moonseed
- Scientific name
- Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr.
- Family
- Menispermaceae
Form
- Part used
- stem
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter
- Ayurveda
- bitter (tikta) · astringent (kashaya)
Temperature
- TCM
- cool
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- dispels wind-damp, relaxes the sinews and unblocks the channels and collaterals
- Ayurveda
- dipana (digestive), jvaraghna (antipyretic), rasayana, balya, and an immunomodulating tridoshahara
Cautions
- Contraindications
- no major traditional contraindication; caution with hypoglycaemic states given its sugar-lowering action
- Toxicity
- very low toxicity; well tolerated in prolonged rejuvenative use
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