Impact of seasons and dioecy on therapeutic phytoconstituents of Tinospora cordifolia, a Rasayana drug.

Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers, Menispermaceae, is a dioecious creeper, commonly known as "Giloe" or "Guduchi" with significant medicinal importance in the traditional systems of medicine. It is designated as Rasayana drug in Ayurveda and recommended for a number of diseases and also as adaptogen and immunomodulator. The safety and efficacy of herbal medicines are closely correlated with the quality of the source materials. The aim of this study is to see the effect of seasons on phytoconstituents and how these vary in male and female stem samples of T. cordifolia. The study revealed that total phenolics and total sugar concentration obtained highest values in summer season while starch and tannin content were found maximum in winter season in both the genders. However, biomarkers, tinosporaside and berberine, reached to their highest concentration in monsoon season. Further, antioxidant potential revealed the highest inhibition percentage in winter season as well as in late summer season. The results of this study suggest that the female plant is best for its therapeutic phytoconstituents and the best harvesting seasons may be either winter or late summer for antioxidant potential and immunomodulator activities and monsoon for antidiabetic activity of T. cordifolia.