Tinospore heart-shaped (Latin Tinóspora cordifólia Miers) (from the Greek teini – to stretch and spora – seed; Latin cordifolius, a, um from cor, cordis – heart, folium – leaf). Perennial creeper from the Moonseed family – Menispermaceae.

The cylindrical curly stalk reaches a diameter of 2 cm.

The bark of the stems is light brown, the surface is warty.

The leaves are alternate, long-leaved, cordate, glabrous, grow 10-20 cm long and 8-15 cm wide.

Tinospore flowers are heart-shaped same-sex. Female flowers are single, small, greenish-yellow, male flowers are somewhat larger, grouped into terminal brushes.

Fruits – smooth, glossy, oval drupes, up to 8 mm in diameter, in long racemoplots, are scarlet or orange.

Tinospore hearty – a native of the tropical regions of India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, later the plant spread to the whole of Southeast Asia. Tinospore hearty is cultivated in Vietnam, Indochina, Pakistan and India.

The medicinal raw material is the mature stem of the plant. It is cut off after the end of the hot season, when the plant finishes bearing fruit. The stem of the plant is cut into pieces and dried under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area. Dry stems are often ground into powder and stored in a dry, cool place inaccessible to children, away from sunlight for no more than three years. Tinocordin alkaloid is obtained from freshly cut stems by aqueous extraction.

The chemical composition of the tinospores of the heart is sufficiently studied. The stem contains the alkaloids berberine, magnoflorin, iatrorizine, palmatine and tetrahydropalmatin, tembetarin, tinoscorsides A and B, tinocordin, starch, sesquiterpene tinocordifolin, deterpenes and their glycosides, including columbine and isocolidin bolipino, also polypolinoin sapinobinone, steroin binoin, vitamin C.

Medicinal properties Tinospores cordate are widely used in traditional medicine. The plant is recommended to be taken to maintain immunity, in diseases of the liver and kidneys, for coughs and various lung diseases, including bronchitis, asthma and even pulmonary tuberculosis; it is drunk with fevers, rheumatoid arthritis and gout, and is taken from indigestion.

Tinospore hearty is considered effective for the prevention of stressful conditions, treatment of depression, mental and physical exhaustion, including chronic fatigue syndrome. Healers suggest taking the plant from migraines, headaches, to lower blood pressure. In some cases, heart tinospore is taken in diabetes to control blood sugar. An aqueous extract of a plant is considered a good diuretic that can be used for urolithiasis.

Since a number of active substances in the tinospore heart are fat-soluble, the plant is often recommended to be taken with animal fats.

Tinospore hearty is used in Asian medicine and is allowed in the UK as a diuretic and tonic. It is an official tool in India.

It is part of Purin ultra, Stonil ultra, Sobereks ultra, Amiripash ultra.