ABSTRACT
For thousands of years, plant based herbal medicines have been utilized by millions of people all over the world. Plant materials or products are used in different folk/traditional medical systems, such as the Chinese, African and Indian medical systems, like Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, and Homeopathy. Tinospora cordifolia (TC) is a medicinal plant belonging to the family Menispermaceae. It is a big deciduous, climbing shrub growing prevalently in the tropical part of Indian subcontinent regions such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Srilanka, and in Myanmar, and China. Guduchi, Giloy, Shindilkodi, and Amritha are all the common names for this plant. Extracts from different parts of this herbal plant have been used to treat many diseases. In Ayurvedic medicine, extract from this plant is used for preparing "rasayanas", which is known to cure diabetes, skin diseases, allergic conditions, jaundice, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, poisoning, and microbial infections. T. cordifolia has a many bioactive phytochemicals that have been isolated from its aerial parts and roots. Many bioactive principles have been reported from this plant which belong to various classes like alkaloids, aliphatic compounds, diterpenoid lactones, phenolics, flavonoids, glycosides, sesquiterpenoids, lignans, steroids and polysaccharides. T. cordifolia possesses medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antiallergic, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antidote, antitumor, antileprotic, antispasmodic, and antidiabetic properties. The present review will provide a comprehensive therapeutic potential of T. cordifolia.
ABSTRACT
Diosmin is the 7-rutinoside of 3 ', 5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone (7-O-rutinoside of diosmetin), and hespheridine is the 7-rutinoside of 3', 5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone (7 -O-rutinoside hesperetin). Diosmin, is a gray-yellow or pale-yellow, hygroscopic powder, whereas hesperidine is in the form of light-yellow spherocrystals. Diosmin was isolated from fruits of the Citrus genus (C. sinensis, C. limonia), now it is obtained semi-synthetically from natural hesperidin. These flavonoids have, among others: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, analgesic, antioxidant and possibly anti-virus activity, that cause COVID-19. The metabolism of diosmin takes place initially in the small intestine and involves demethoxylation and hydrolysis. In contrast, oxidation and conjugation take place in the liver. There is no presence of diosmin and diosmetin in the urine, which are mainly eliminated in the form of glucuronic acid conjugates. The dominant metabolite detected in urine samples is m-hydroxy-phenylpropionic acid, excreted in conjugated form. Diosmin may reduce the aggregation of Red Blood Cells, and thus it is able to reduce blood viscosity. The LD50 of the mixture of 90% diosmin and 10% hesperidin for rats is over 3 g/kg. The tests did not reveal any mutagenic effects or effects on reproductive functions. It also does not pose a significant threat during breast feeding, as it poorly passes into breast milk.