Tinospora cordifolia Enhances Vyadhikshamatwa (immunity) in Children

Abstract

Background: The immune system in children is constantly developing and they are at an increased risk of infections. It is vital to help enhance immunity by vaccination but more people are turning towards traditional medicines today. The vast flora of the world offers newer options to this effect and is worth exploring. Tinospora cordifolia (Guduchi) is one such plant which has been traditionally used for various health conditions and is also proven to be an immunomodulator. Objective: To evaluate the role of Tinospora cordifolia in status of Vyadhikshamatwa (immunity) in children. Materials and Methods: An open-labelled, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 400 children aged 1-15 years, with 200 each in control and test groups. Study drug and placebo were administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight twice daily with honey for 2 months. Response was assessed by total leucocyte count (TLC), lymphocyte percentage and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC). Results were analysed statistically using repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for intra-group comparisons and unpaired t-test for intergroup comparisons using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0. Results: The test drug showed statistically significant increase in TLC (P<0.001), ALC (P<0.001) and lymphocyte percentage (P<0.001) as compared to placebo. Also the rate of infections in the trial group were significantly lesser during the study period (P<0.001). Conclusion: Tinospora cordifolia significantly improves immunity in children and can be used as an adjuvant to vaccination.