New Delhi, With threat of swine flu growing, yoga guru Baba Ramdev today advocated use of Ayurveda to battle the disease and claimed Tinospora plant if consumed daily could strengthen the immune system against the virus.

Contending that the disease has been found to have killed patients who were more vulnerable or had earlier ailments and weaker systems, he said the best way to prepare against the virus was to strengthen the respiratory and immune.

"I have used the'Giloi' plant (Tinospora) to treat patients having high fever and cold due to dengue and chikungunya. It is highly helpful in strengthening the immune system," he told reporters.

Asking people to take help of Ayurveda and Yoga besides Western medicine, he said regular consumption of its extract or stem along with tulsi leaves will strengthen the immune system.

The plant, whose botanical name is'Tinospora Cordifolia', is commonly available and contains a substance called'Giloine' that is effective for strengthening the respiratory system. The plant is commonly known as'Gudyi','Amrita' and'Gudbel', he said.

"While Tamilflu is taken only when the virus has been detected, the plant has a preventive mechanism and is shown to have helped patients fighting all types of viral infections,"he said.