Can Giloy actually damage the liver? What evidence-based research says

Giloy, also known as Tinospora cordifolia, is a herb that is used in Ayurveda and herbal medicines. It has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine for boosting immunity, treating fevers, managing diabetes, and improving digestion, and people consume it as juice, powder, or in tablet form, often mixed with other herbs.
In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, giloy became a popular herbal supplement, and many started taking it daily, hoping to strengthen their immune systems. But this sudden rise in popularity also brought questions and concerns - Can giloy cause harm to the liver?

Common uses of Giloy

Giloy is believed to have several health benefits, especially in Ayurvedic and home remedies. It is used to support the immune system, especially during seasonal changes or infections, some also use it to reduce symptoms of chronic fever, dengue, and malaria, and many practitioners also recommend Giloy for managing Type 2 diabetes.
All these benefits have made Giloy a go-to herbal supplement in many Indian households, but like any other remedy, its safety depends on how it’s used.

For example, during the Covid-19 wave, Indians relied on Patanjali’s Giloy juice and Giloy Ghan Vati to help their cough, cold, and other viral symptoms. And many also claimed that it helped them immensely, improving their health.

Giloy damaging liver?

Back in 2022-2021, numerous reports and studies were published both in support and against the use of Giloy.
Some studies and case reports claim that taking Giloy, especially in large amounts or for long periods, can trigger autoimmune liver disease or cause liver inflammation in some cases.

According to a study titled ‘Tinospora Cordifolia (Giloy)–Induced Liver Injury During the COVID‐19 Pandemic—Multicenter Nationwide Study From India’ in the National Library of Medicine, “small reports have recently shown an association between Giloy use and the development of herb‐induced liver injury (HILI) with autoimmune features in some patients.”

The research also noted “We report 43 patients, of whom more than half were female, with a median time from initial Giloy consumption to symptom onset of 46 days. Patients presented with acute hepatitis, acute worsening of chronic liver disease (CLD, the most common clinical presentation), or acute liver failure. Causality assessment revealed probable liver injury in 67.4%. The most common autoantibody detected was anti‐nuclear antibody. Liver biopsy in a subset revealed HILI associated with autoimmune features and hepatocyte and canalicular cholestasis and neutrophilic and eosinophilic infiltration. Conclusion: Giloy is associated with acute hepatitis with autoimmune features and can unmask autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in people with silent AIH‐related CLD.”

What Ayurved experts say

A thing to note about the above study, that people quote frequently when talking about Giloy, is that it also wrote “Further studies on the safety (and efficacy) of untested but heavily promoted herbals in alternative systems of medicine are an unmet need in the interests of public health and are especially important during this global health emergency.”

And so many Ayurveda practitioners and herbal experts have strongly defended giloy. They believe that the herb is safe when used correctly, according to them, giloy is not harmful in itself, but like any medicinal plant, it must be taken in the correct dose, for the right duration, and with proper consultation from an expert.
Ayurveda practitioners do not recommend self-medicating with giloy or consuming it daily without need as just like any other medicine, herbal remedies too need to be tailored to the individual.