Pharmacological, Therapeutic, and Immunomodulatory Role of Tinospora cordifolia

Tinospora cordifolia (TC, Giloy, Guduchi, or Amrita) is a valuable medicinal herb in the Indian System of Medicine (ISM), Chinese, and other traditional systems of medicine. TC contains a broad array of therapeutic phytoconstituents like alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, aliphatic compounds, diterpene lactones, phenolics, and flavonoids. TC is hailed for its therapeutic use with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, cardiac disease, anti-arthritis, and anti-microbial properties. TC induces immunomodulatory effects through the induction of macrophage activation, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, lymphocyte proliferation, and also secretion of interleukins. The present chapter highlights the biological properties, therapeutic use, and immunomodulatory pathways of Tinospora cordifolia.