New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS): The Ministry of Ayush clarified on Wednesday that Giloy has been falsely linked to liver damage, adding that Giloy/ Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) is safe and as per available data, it does not have any toxic effect if taken in appropriate doses.

The ministry said, "In Ayurveda, it is said to be the best rejuvenating herb. Acute toxicity studies of aqueous extract of Guduchi reports that it does not produce any toxic effect. However, the safety of a drug depends on how it is being used. Dosage is one of the important factors that determine the safety of a particular drug."

The Ministry referred to a study, which states, "Lower concentration of Guduchi powder is found to increase the life span of fruit flies (Drosophila Melanogaster). At the same time, higher concentration progressively reduces the life span of flies. This clearly indicates that an optimum dosage should be maintained in order to get the desired effects. This infers that the medicinal herb has to be used in an appropriate dose as prescribed by a qualified physician to get medicinal effects."

It said that with the wide range of actions and abundant components, Guduchi is a real treasure among herbal drugs source.

A special focus has been given on its health benefits in treating various metabolic disorders and its potential as an immune booster. It is used as a major component of therapeutics for ameliorating metabolic, endocrinal, and several other ailments, aiding in the betterment of human life expectancy, the ministry said.