Adhatoda vasica

Widely used for effects against respiratory ailments, cough, sore throat, pharyngitis etc

1. AdhatodavasicaNees.
25-3-2020

2. VERNACULAR NAMES
Syn.: Justicia adhatodaLinn.
Family: Acanthaceae
Arabic Name: Hasheshatus-Sa’al
Urdu Name: Adusa, Bansa, Basonta, Arosa
English Name: Vasaka, Malabar Nut
Other Names:Arusa, Adulsa

3. PARTS USED
Leaf
Flowers (Gulqand).

4. CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT AND PRODUCTION
The taste is bitter and die odor tea-like.
Originally indigenous to northern India, the plant is now found in all the areas of
Ayurveda medicine in India, Sri Lanka and the Maylan archipelago.
Vasacaleaves are the leaves of Justicia adhatoda.

5. TEMPERAMENT
Warm (I) and Dry (I)

6. ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
Volatile oil
Quinazoline alkaloids: including vasicine and vasicinone
COMPOUNDS

7. PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS
Expectorant
Antispasmodic
Alterative
Diuretic
Germicide
Antiparalytic
Concoctive (for phlegm)

8. SPECIFIC ACTIONS
Expectorant and antispasmodic.
EFFECTS:
Mildly spasmolytic, bronchodilatory and expectorant

9. MEDICINAL USES
Chiefly used as expectorant and bronchial antiseptic in chest diseases, efficacious in
cough and asthma.
Also regarded as of much benefit in tuberculosis.
Juice of the leaves is recommended in fever and rheumatism.
Fresh juice of the leaves is given in dose of about 12 g with the addition of honey
and long pepper in cough and phthisis.
Flowers, leaves and roots are frequently regarded as antiseptic.

10. INDICATIONS AND USAGE
For acute and chronic bronchial infections, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract and
tuberculosis as an expectorant and to alleviate coughs.
Indian Medicine:
Justicia adhatoda is used as an expectorant and secretory agent.
Homeopathic Uses:
Unproven Uses:
Justicia adhatoda preparations are used for hay fever and acute inflammation of the
upper respiratory tract.

11. CONTRAINDICATIONS
The drug is contraindicated inpregnancy.

12. COMPOUND
PREPARATIONS
Sherbet Aijaz
In antitussive
Blood purifier syrups.

13. DOSAGE
Powder 3 gm
Decoction 3 to 9 ml.
Mode of Administration: Today,
the extract of the leaves is only
found in some
combinationpreparations.
Daily Dosage: 1 to 2 gm as
drug or liquid extract (1:1) with
40%ethanol

14. CORRIGENT
Black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.)
Honey.

15. TENEDIUM
Hyssopusofficinalis Linn. (Zufa)
The roots and stem bark of the plant.

16. PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
Pregnancy: Administration during pregnancy is to beavoided.
General:No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper
administration of designated therapeutic dosages. Because of the vasicine content,
the administration of large dosages can lead to excitatorystates.

17. COMMENTS
In large quantities (large doses) it is irritant and may cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

18. REFERENCES
PDR for herbal medicine
Indusyunicmedicine (Dr Usman Ghani Khan)
Materia Medica-I (Dr Usman Ghani Khan)