Giloy (Guduchi) and Psoriasis: Claims, Evidence and Liver Safety

Giloy (guduchi, Tinospora cordifolia) has a long place in Ayurveda, and many people with psoriasis are told to drink its juice or take its tablets. But there is very little good-quality evidence that giloy helps psoriasis, and Indian liver specialists have reported cases of liver injury linked to it. If you are thinking of trying it, do so only with a qualified doctor who knows your full medicine list, and never in place of the treatment your dermatologist has prescribed.

This post is part of our evidence-graded review of natural psoriasis treatments, where we look at what tradition says, what studies show, and where the safety questions are.

What is giloy, and why is it linked to psoriasis?

Giloy is a climbing vine found across India. Its stem is the part most often used, as fresh juice (swarasa), powder (churna), concentrated extract (ghana vati) or tablets. In Ayurveda it is considered bitter and cooling, and it appears in many classical formulas for fever, digestion and long-standing skin conditions.

Psoriasis is usually described in Ayurveda under Ekakushtha or Kitibha. Because giloy is a common ingredient in formulas for kushtha, it is often suggested to people with psoriasis. During the COVID-19 pandemic it was also widely sold in India as an immunity booster. If you want to understand the broader Ayurvedic approach, read our guide to Ayurveda and psoriasis.

What does the research actually show for psoriasis?

This is where honesty matters. Most research on giloy is laboratory or animal work looking at its effects on immune cells, blood sugar and inflammation. They cannot tell us whether giloy helps or harms psoriasis in real people.

Human studies

We found a small number of clinical studies from Ayurvedic institutions in India. One example is a randomized, double-blind trial published in 2024 in Research & Reviews: Journal of Herbal Science. It enrolled 54 people with psoriasis (45 finished) and compared three different preparations of guduchi taken for 4 weeks. The group taking juice-processed guduchi powder had larger improvements in symptoms, PASI (a severity score) and quality-of-life scores than the other two groups, and no adverse reactions were reported. [4]

However, every group in that trial took giloy. There was no placebo group and no standard-treatment group, so the study cannot show whether giloy works better than doing nothing, or how it compares with usual care. The trial was also short and small. Other Ayurvedic trials use giloy alongside other medicines, which makes it impossible to say what giloy alone did.

What this means for you

At present, giloy for psoriasis is best described as traditionally used, with limited and low-quality human evidence. Nobody can promise what it will do for your skin.

Giloy and the liver: what Indian doctors reported

In 2021, liver specialists in Mumbai published a report in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology describing six patients with liver injury who had been taking giloy. [2] In 2022, a larger study in Hepatology Communications by the Liver Research Club of India collected 43 patients from 13 centres in nine locations. [1]

• Symptoms started a median of 46 days after people began taking giloy.
• Patients had acute hepatitis, a sudden worsening of existing chronic liver disease (the most common picture), or acute liver failure.
• Liver biopsies in some patients showed injury with autoimmune features, and the authors suggested giloy might unmask a hidden autoimmune liver disease in some people.
• Giloy was judged a "probable" cause in about two-thirds (67.4%) of cases.

The Ministry of Ayush view

The Ministry of Ayush disagreed. In July 2021 it called the link between giloy and liver damage misleading and said the authors had not confirmed the plant was truly Tinospora cordifolia and not a look-alike such as Tinospora crispa. [2] In February 2022 the Ministry again said giloy is safe in appropriate doses, and stressed that dose matters and that it should be taken as prescribed by a qualified physician. [3]

A balanced reading

Both sides agree that product identity, dose and medical supervision matter. Case series cannot prove that giloy causes liver injury, and some cases may involve the wrong plant or mixed products. But the reports are serious enough that self-prescribing large amounts for months, without any blood tests, is not wise. This is especially true for people with psoriasis, who more often have fatty liver and are often on medicines that need liver monitoring.

Does the "immune booster" idea fit psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated condition: part of the immune system is already overactive, which drives the fast skin-cell turnover you see as plaques. The idea of "boosting" immunity is therefore not a natural fit.

The RxList supplement monograph on Tinospora cordifolia notes that it may make the immune system more active and advises people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis to avoid it. It also warns that giloy may reduce the effect of medicines that suppress the immune system. [6] Psoriasis is not named specifically, and no good study has tested this in people with psoriasis, so the true effect is unknown. That uncertainty is exactly why this decision belongs with your doctor.

Safety checklist before you try giloy

• Tell your dermatologist and your Ayurvedic doctor. The National Psoriasis Foundation advises talking to your provider before any herbal remedy to avoid dangerous interactions with your medicines. [5]
• Methotrexate, acitretin or biologics: these already need regular blood tests. Adding a herb that has been linked to liver injury can confuse results and add risk. Our guide to methotrexate safety explains why liver monitoring matters.
• Existing liver problems, fatty liver or regular alcohol: avoid self-medicating, as worsening of chronic liver disease was the most common pattern in the Indian study. [1]
• Diabetes: giloy may lower blood sugar and can add to the effect of diabetes medicines; monitor sugar closely. [6]
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there is not enough safety information, so avoid it. [6]
• Children: do not give giloy juice or tablets to a child for psoriasis without a paediatrician or qualified doctor's advice.
• Surgery: stop at least 2 weeks before planned surgery because of the blood-sugar effect. [6]
• Product quality: choose a licensed manufacturer with a clear label, and do not combine several "immunity" products.
• Get a baseline test: if your doctor agrees you can try it, ask whether a liver function test before starting and after a few weeks makes sense for you.

A note on other herbs

The same care applies to other Ayurvedic herbs. Babchi (bakuchi), for example, can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so sun exposure after using it needs caution. See our post on babchi oil and sun safety. The NPF also warns that some herbal products can make skin more sensitive to UV light. [5]

Where giloy fits in a psoriasis care plan

If you and your doctor decide to try giloy, see it as a possible addition, not a replacement. Topical steroids, vitamin D creams, phototherapy, methotrexate and biologics all have a real place under a dermatologist's care. Never stop or reduce a prescribed treatment on your own because you have started a herb.

Simple daily skin care still matters whatever else you take: lukewarm baths, a mild cleanser, moisturising within a few minutes of bathing, and cotton clothes in hot, humid weather. These steps help with dryness and itching and support the skin barrier.

When to see a doctor

Stop giloy and see a doctor urgently if you notice any of these:

• Yellow eyes or skin (jaundice), dark tea-coloured urine or pale stools
• Unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
• Itching all over the body that feels different from your usual psoriasis itch
• Low blood sugar symptoms (shaking, sweating, confusion) if you are diabetic
• Psoriasis spreading quickly, skin turning red over most of the body, pus-filled bumps, or fever and chills
• Swollen, painful joints or morning stiffness, which may point to psoriatic arthritis

Take the giloy product with you so the doctor can see exactly what you used.

Frequently asked questions

Is giloy good for psoriasis?

Giloy is traditionally used in Ayurveda for skin conditions, but strong human evidence for psoriasis is lacking. Small Indian studies exist, but none we found compared giloy with a placebo or standard treatment.

Can giloy damage the liver?

Indian liver specialists have reported liver injury in people taking giloy, including a 43-patient multicentre study. The Ministry of Ayush disputes the link and says giloy is safe at appropriate doses. Use it only under medical supervision.

Can I take giloy with methotrexate?

Do not combine them on your own. Methotrexate needs liver monitoring, and adding giloy may add risk and make test results harder to read. Ask your dermatologist first.

How long can giloy be taken?

Short-term use appears to be tolerated in most people, but safety beyond about 8 weeks is not well studied. Your doctor should decide the dose and duration.

Can children or pregnant women take giloy for psoriasis?

There is not enough safety information for pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it is best avoided. For children, speak to a paediatrician or qualified doctor before giving any herbal product.

Sources

1. Kulkarni AV, et al.; Liver Research Club India. Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy)-induced liver injury during the COVID-19 pandemic: multicenter nationwide study from India. Hepatology Communications. 2022;6(6):1289-1300.
2. Onmanorama. Relating giloy to liver damage misleading: Ayush Ministry. July 2021.
3. Medical Dialogues. Giloy not harmful in appropriate doses: Ayush Ministry. February 2022.
4. Mendpara ND, et al. A comparative clinical trial of three different dosage forms of Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) in Ekakustha (psoriasis). Research & Reviews: Journal of Herbal Science. 2024.
5. National Psoriasis Foundation. Integrative approaches to care.
6. RxList. Tinospora cordifolia: uses, side effects and interactions.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified dermatologist or Ayurvedic doctor for diagnosis and treatment.