It grows throughout tropical India, ascending to an altitude of 300m.

T.cordifolia is a large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub. The stems are rather succulent with long filiform fleshy aerial roots from the branches. The bark is grey-brown and warty; the leaves are membranous and cordate; the flowers, small, yellow or greenish yellow, in axillary and terminal racemes or racemose panicles; the male flowers clustered and females usually solitary; the drupes are ovoid, glossy, succulent, red and pea-sized; the seeds curved.

Tinsporine, tinosporide, tinosporaside, cordifolide, cordifol, heptacosanol, clerodane furano diterpene, diterpenoid furanolactone tinosporidine, columbin, and ß-sitosterol.

The stem is used in general debility, dyspepsia, fevers and urinary diseases. The bitter principles present in the drug show antiperiodic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. The plant is used in Ayurvedic rasayanas to improve the immune system and the body's resistance against infections. It is used as an immunomodulator in immunosuppression of obstructive jaundice, hepatic fibrosis, peritonitis and sepsis. The plant has been found effective in preventing fibrous changes and promotes regeneration of the liver against CCl4 induced hepato toxicity.