| Latin Names |
English Names |
Sanskrit Names |
Hindi Names |
Adhatoda zeylanica Medic./ Adhatoda vasica
Nees (Acanthaceae)
|
Malabar Nut, Vasaka |
Vasa, Shwetavasa, Vasaka |
Arusa, Bansa |
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 Habitat
Distributed throughout India, up to an altitude of 1,300 m.
Morphology Description (Habit)
A.zeylanica is an evergreen, gregarious, stiff, perennial
shrub. The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate,
entire, hairy, light green above, dark below and leathery;
the flowers are large, white with red-or yellow-barred
throats and in spikes, with large bracts; the capsules are
longitudinally channelled; the seeds globular. |
Principal Constituents
Several alkaloids are present in the drug and its chief
principle is a quinazoline alkaloid, vasicine. The leaves
are rich in vitamin C and carotene and yield an essential
oil.
Indications
The shrub is the source of the drug, vasaka, well known in
indigenous systems of medicine for its beneficial effects,
particularly in bronchitis. The leaves, flowers, fruits and
roots are extensively used for treating cold, cough,
whooping-cough, chronic bronchitis and asthma. It acts as a
sedative-expectorant, antispasmodic and anthelmintic. The
leaf-juice is stated to cure diarrhea, dysentery and
glandular tumour, and, is given as an emmenagogue. The
powder is reported to be used as a poultice on rheumatic
joints, as a counter-irritant on inflammatory swellings, on
fresh wounds, urticaria and in neuralgia.
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