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Useful Tropical Plants

Tinospora crispa

(L.) Hook.f. & Thomson

Menispermaceae

+ Synonyms

Menispermum crispum L.

Tinospora gibbericaulis Hand.-Mazz.

Tinospora mastersii Diels

Tinospora rumphii Boerl.

Tinospora thorelii Gagnep.

Common Name:

Tinospora crispa
Leaves
Photograph by: Mokkie
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Tinospora crispa Tinospora crispa Tinospora crispa Tinospora crispa

General Information

Tinospora crispa is a deciduous climbing shrub producing stems up to 15 metres long[
334
Title
Flora of Peninsula Malaysia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.tfbc.frim.gov.my
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
In the process of being assembled (15/07/09), it is currently a series of check sheets giving species name, brief description, habitat and high quality photos of the plants.
]. The stems are up to 1cm thick[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
]. The plant often produces aerial roots from its stems, these can grow down 10 metres or more to root into the soil[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
A very popular medicinal plant in southeast Asia, where the plant is commonly gathered from the wild. The plant is also cultivated, especially in Thailand, India and Sri Lanka.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Waste ground, forest margins[
334
Title
Flora of Peninsula Malaysia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.tfbc.frim.gov.my
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
In the process of being assembled (15/07/09), it is currently a series of check sheets giving species name, brief description, habitat and high quality photos of the plants.
]. Primary rain forest and mixed deciduous forest, it can also be very common in secondary vegetation after logging and in hedges, at elevations up to 1,000 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *  *
HabitDeciduous Climber
Height10.00 m
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required. The female form is much rarer than the male, suggesting vegetative propagation of male plants for medicinal purposes[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Considered to be a universal medicine by local people in the Philippines who give it the name 'makabuhai', which means 'to give life'[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
].
The plant is commonly prescribed as a decoction or in powder form in the treatment of fevers, stomach trouble, indigestion, and diarrhoea. It is the basis of a popular preparation, which is used as a cordial, a tonic, or an ingredient in cocktails[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
].
A preparation made with coconut oil is an effective cure for rheumatism and is also used in the treatment of flatulence in children[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
]. This preparation is made by chopping the stem into pieces 2 - 5cm long and placing them in a jar with coconut oil,. This jar is then left out in a sunny position to 'cook' and is then stored for 12 months until it is ready to use[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
].
The stem is antimalarial, parasiticide, tonic and vulnerary[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
]. It is taken internally in the treatment of fevers[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
].
Taken externally, a decoction of the stem is considered an effective cure if used as a wash for tropical ulcers, external parasites, and is also an excellent vulnerary for itches, ordinary and cancerous wounds[
582
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Philippines
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html
Publisher
Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area.
].

An infusion of the stem is drunk in Malaysia and Indonesia as a vermifuge and of the whole plant to treat cholera; it is also used to treat diabetes mellitus[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Externally it is applied against scabies and to heal wounds. In Brunei, the plant is used in the treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes and to relieve abdominal pains. In Indo-China, an infusion of the stem is drunk to treat fever (also when caused by malaria) and jaundice. Powdered stems are used to fatten horses and cattle by stimulating their appetite. Tinospora crispa is a very commonly used medicinal plant in the Philippines. In Thailand, an infusion from the stem is used to treat jaundice, cholera, malaria, and against worms in children[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

Some species in this genus are the larval hosts of fruit-piercing noctuid moths that cause significant damage to crops
of Citrus (particularly Mandarins) and Dimocarpus longan (Longan) in Thailand[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings - easy, the stems naturally produce aerial roots.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-05. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Tinospora+crispa>

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