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Giloy and the liver injury reports: what they mean for a damaged liver | CION Cancer Clinics
Giloy appears to have caused liver injury in some people, and Indian liver specialists have published reports describing it. People who already had liver disease seemed to be harmed most. This page explains what doctors saw, what is still argued about, the signs that need a doctor, and why your oncologist wants to know if you take giloy or any product that contains it. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team supports patients and families through symptoms, follow-up and life during and after treatment.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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The short answer
Can giloy harm the liver?
Yes, in some people it appears to. Indian liver specialists have published reports of liver injury in people who took giloy, some of which looked like autoimmune hepatitis, a condition where the body's defences attack the liver. People who already had liver disease seemed to be hit hardest.
Giloy, also called guduchi or Tinospora, became very popular in India as an immunity booster during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families took it daily, in tablets, juices and kadha, often for long stretches. Hepatologists then began to see patients with new jaundice and raised liver tests who had no other clear cause, and the common thread was giloy.
Who this page is for
It is written for anyone with liver cancer, cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C, fatty liver, or cancer that has spread to the liver, and for the relative who buys their medicines. It is also for anyone told their liver tests are raised who has been taking giloy.
Telling your doctor you took giloy is useful information. It is not a confession.The reports
What did doctors actually report, and what is still argued?
The reports came from hospital liver units, not from social media. They are taken seriously, and they are also debated.
What was seen
Patients arrived with jaundice, tiredness and high liver enzymes after weeks or months of giloy. Liver biopsies in some showed an immune pattern of injury. Many improved after stopping it, sometimes with steroid treatment.
Who did worst
People whose liver was already damaged, especially by cirrhosis, were more likely to become seriously ill. A liver with little reserve cannot absorb a fresh injury the way a healthy liver can.
What is disputed
Ayurvedic authorities have argued that some cases may involve a look-alike plant, mixed products, or other causes the reports missed. Case reports cannot prove cause on their own, and that debate is fair.
An unsettled argument is a reason for caution, not for confidence.What this means for you
- Giloy is not proven safe in a damaged liver
- It is not proven to treat liver cancer
- Unexplained liver injury needs giloy ruled out
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologist
!
Signs that need a doctor
If you have been taking giloy and notice yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools, itching, joint pains or a tiredness that will not lift, stop it and see a doctor this week. Take the product with you. If yellowing comes with fever, new confusion or drowsiness, vomiting blood or black stools, go to hospital today.
If giloy is suspected
What will the doctor do if they think giloy hurt my liver?
Ask about everything you take
The doctor will want every tablet, juice, powder and kadha, and for how long. Bring the packets. Products bought loose or sent by relatives count too.
Look for other causes
Blood tests check for hepatitis viruses, immune markers and other causes of liver injury. An ultrasound or other scan may be arranged, and CION coordinates these through diagnostic partners.
Stop the product and watch
The usual first step is to stop giloy and repeat the liver tests over the following weeks. Improvement after stopping supports the link.
Involve a hepatologist if needed
If tests keep rising, or the picture looks immune-driven, a hepatologist may suggest a liver biopsy or steroid treatment. Read more on herb-induced liver injury.
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Commonly believed
Four things families tell us about giloy
"Giloy boosts immunity, so it will help fight the cancer."
No good study shows giloy controls liver cancer. Pushing the immune system with an untested product is not the same as immunotherapy, which uses specific, tested medicines. Read about herbal immunity claims for more.
"Millions take it without trouble, so it must be safe."
Most people may tolerate it. Liver injury from herbs is often rare and unpredictable, and it falls hardest on people whose liver is already struggling. Those are exactly the people reading this page.
"The injury reports were just an attack on Ayurveda."
The doctors who wrote them were treating sick patients and describing what they saw. Questioning a single product is not the same as rejecting a whole tradition. Your oncologist's concern is your liver, nothing more.
"If I stop now, the damage is already done."
Many people's liver tests improve after they stop. The sooner your doctor knows, the sooner they can check. Stopping and telling them is almost always the right first move.
Did you know
Liver injury from a herb can look very like a side effect of immunotherapy, which can also inflame the liver. If you are on treatment, your team needs to know about giloy to tell the two apart and choose the right response.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether giloy caused a change in your own liver tests. That takes a doctor who can see your results over time, rule out other causes and, if needed, ask a hepatologist to look. Raised liver tests in someone with liver cancer can come from the tumour, the cirrhosis, a virus or treatment as well.
Where the evidence is thin
Most of what is known comes from case reports and hospital case series. Those can raise an alarm but cannot measure how often harm happens. Until better studies exist, a liver that is already damaged is not the place to find out.
Who this does not apply to
If you have a healthy liver and no cancer, this page does not tell you what to do; ask your own doctor. If you have stopped giloy and your liver tests are normal, there may be nothing more to do. For how to raise this with your team, see how to tell your oncologist without being judged.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about giloy and the liver
Is giloy banned in India?
No. Giloy is still sold widely, and Ayurvedic authorities defend its use. The liver injury reports did not lead to a ban. Being legally on sale does not make a product safe for a damaged liver, so anyone with liver disease should ask their doctor first.
I took giloy during COVID and feel fine. Should I worry?
If you have stopped, feel well and recent liver tests were normal, there is usually nothing to do. If you have liver disease and never had your liver tests checked, mention it at your next visit. Your doctor can decide whether a blood test is worth doing.
Is giloy safe with liver cancer treatment?
Its safety alongside cancer medicines has not been established. Injury from a herb can be mistaken for a treatment side effect, which may lead to treatment being paused unnecessarily. Most oncologists advise stopping giloy while treatment is planned or running. Ask your own team.
What is autoimmune hepatitis?
It is a condition where the body's own defences attack the liver, causing inflammation. Some giloy injury reports looked like this. In some cases it seemed to be set off by the herb, while in others an existing hidden condition may have been revealed. A hepatologist decides how to treat it.
Will the liver recover after stopping giloy?
Many people improve after stopping, but recovery is harder when the liver already has cirrhosis or cancer. Some need steroids or hospital care. Nobody can predict recovery from a web page, which is why stopping early and telling your doctor matters.
Is giloy in my kadha or immunity tablet too?
It may be. Giloy is a common ingredient in mixed immunity products, kadhas and liver tonics, and labels do not always make it obvious. Bring the packet to your doctor, who can read the contents with you.
My elders give it to everyone at home. How do I raise it?
Start with thanks, because they mean well. Explain that your liver is fragile and that the doctor has asked to approve everything you take. Asking an elder to come to the consultation with the packet usually goes better than arguing at home.
Can CION check whether my liver has been affected?
Your CION oncologist can review your products and liver tests, arrange further tests through partners and involve a hepatologist when needed. You will not be judged for what you took. Call the CION helpline to arrange a review; one number serves every centre.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- MedlinePlus — Autoimmune hepatitis
- MedlinePlus — Herbal Medicine
- NCCIH — Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
- MedlinePlus — Liver Function Tests
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Herb-induced liver injury explainedHow doctors recognise and manage injury from a herbKalmegh, bhumi amla and punarnavaThree other liver herbs and what the evidence showsWhy the liver is the organ most harmed by herbal remediesWhy a damaged liver is at greatest riskHow to tell your oncologist without being judgedWords to use when you have taken something
Talk to us
Been taking giloy and worried about your liver?
Bring the product and your recent liver tests, and an oncologist will go through them with you without judgement. One helpline serves every CION centre.