ADATHODA VASICA
A shrub that is seen all over India. Based upon Ayurvedic medicinal usage it is classified as a Kasaghna oushadha, or anti-cough medicine.
Family : Acanthaceae
Scientific name : Adathoda vasica, Adathoda beddomei
There are two varieties of Vasa, they are small one (adathoda bedomei) and large one (adathoda vasica ). Small variety contains eight pairs of veins while the large variety contains fourteen pairs of veins. The roots of the small variety consists of several round swellings. This particular one is considered to be the most potent variety.
Nomenclature in other languages :
Sanskrit : vasa, vasaka, vrushaka, simhasyam, namsha, vishnu, vajidantha, adaroosha
Hindi : aadoosa
Gujarathi : aadoosi
Bengali : bakasa
Tamil : adathodaii
Telugu : adasaramu
Kannada : adusogae
Oriya : basanga
Sinhala : pawatta
Malayalam : adalotakam
Punjabi : bhekkar
Nepali : asuro, kalo vasak
Persian : bansa
Distribution : The large variety is seen everywhere in our country while the small one is seen only in Kerala.
Botanical description :
A shrub that is seen all over India. Based upon Ayurvedic medicinal usage it is classified as a Kasaghna oushadha, or anti-cough medicine.
Family : Acanthaceae
Scientific name : Adathoda vasica, Adathoda beddomei
There are two varieties of Vasa, they are small one (adathoda bedomei) and large one (adathoda vasica ). Small variety contains eight pairs of veins while the large variety contains fourteen pairs of veins. The roots of the small variety consists of several round swellings. This particular one is considered to be the most potent variety.
Nomenclature in other languages :
Sanskrit : vasa, vasaka, vrushaka, simhasyam, namsha, vishnu, vajidantha, adaroosha
Hindi : aadoosa
Gujarathi : aadoosi
Bengali : bakasa
Tamil : adathodaii
Telugu : adasaramu
Kannada : adusogae
Oriya : basanga
Sinhala : pawatta
Malayalam : adalotakam
Punjabi : bhekkar
Nepali : asuro, kalo vasak
Persian : bansa
Distribution : The large variety is seen everywhere in our country while the small one is seen only in Kerala.
Botanical description :
a) Macroscopic
A large shrub grows crowded along waste land, roadsides etc. Leaves, 10-30 cm long and 3-10 cm broad, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, slightly acuminate, base tapering, petiolate, petioles 2-8 cm long, exstipulite, glabrescent, 8-10 pairs of lateral vein bearing few hairs, dried leaves dull brown above. Flowers arise from axillary condensed spikes, white; fruits are capsules.
b) Microscopic
Transverse section of leaf shows, dorsiventral surface with 2 layers of palisade cells, in surface view, epidermal cells sinuous with anomocytic stomata on both surfaces, more numerous on the lower, clothing trichomes few, 1-3, rarely up to 5 celled, thin walled, uniseriate, up to 500 μ and glandular trichomes with unicellular stalk and 4 celled head measuring, 25-36 μ in diameter in surface view, cystoliths in mesophyll layers, elongated and cigar shaped, acicular and prismatic forms of calcium oxalate crystals present in mesophyll , palisade ratio, 5-6, 5-8.5, stomatal index, 10.8-14.2-18.1 for lower surface.
Chemical constituents :
Action Expectorant (used in
bronchial, asthmatic and pulmonary
affections), antispasmodic,
febrifuge
Key application As bronchodilatory,
expectorant. (Indian Herbal
Pharmacopoeia.) The Ayurvedic
Pharmacopoeia of India indicates its
use in dyspnoea.
The chief quinazoline alkaloid vasicine
is reported in all parts of the
plant, the highest being in inflorescence.
It is a bitter bronchodilator, respiratory
stimulant, hypotensive, cardiac
depressant, uterotonic and abortifacient.
An aqueous solution of vasicinone
hydrochloride, when studied
in mice and dogs, was found to potentiate
the bronchodilatory activity
of aminophylline, also that of isoprenaline.
Vasicinone exhibited smoothmuscle-
relaxant properties of airways.
Alkaloids present in the plant
showed significant protection against
allergin-induced bronchial obstruction
in guinea pigs.
The leaves are found to activate the
digestive enzyme trypsin.
An extract of the leaves showed
significant antifungal activity against
ringworm.
Adhatoda beddomei C.B. Clarke,
found in Kerala, is considered to be
more powerful and active than A. vasica.
Fresh leaf juice is used in haemoptysis
and menorrhagia, also as an antiasthmatic.
Jacobinia tinctoria Henl. is equated
with the red-flowered var. of Vaasaa.
Ayurvedic pharmacological properties
Rasa : tikta, kashaya
Guna : laghu, ruksha
Virya : sheeta
Vipak : katu
Medicinal properties :
Cures vomitting, cough, rakta pitta, cold. Is a broncho dilator. The vasicine which is present in the leaves of vasa is said to elevate platelet count. The phenomeneon called capillary bleeding is caused due to the decrease in platelet counts.
Useful parts : leaves, roots, flowers, fruits
Therapeutic uses :
-juice of vasa one tbsp with equal amount of honey taken thrice daily cures erysipelas
-the same if taken as decction, 25ml before food, cures bleeding piles and haemmorhagic dysentry
-the ghee prepared out of procesing with 900gms of vasa, 100gms of tippali, 4L of water, 250ml ghee, is used to cure consumption and all other infections and inflammations of chest
-vasa juice and paste of sandal wood if taken 15ml morning and evening cures blood vomiting and erysepelas
-in case of menorrhagia 15ml of vasa juice+15ml jaggery twice daily when intaken cures it
-the juice of vasa leaves obtained after crushing it is applied in pregnant woman for easy delivery
-it is a mainn ingredient of Chyavanaprasa, Vasavaleha, Vasarishta, Gulgguluthikthaka, Dasamoolarishta, Dasamoolakatutraya kashaya etc.
REFERENCE :
1.NESAMANIS AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL PLANTS (MALAYALAM)
2.SPRINGERS INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS
3.WIKIPEDIA
4.http://www.medicinalplantdatabase.com/index.php/item/adhatoda-vasica
expectorant. (Indian Herbal
Pharmacopoeia.) The Ayurvedic
Pharmacopoeia of India indicates its
use in dyspnoea.
The chief quinazoline alkaloid vasicine
is reported in all parts of the
plant, the highest being in inflorescence.
It is a bitter bronchodilator, respiratory
stimulant, hypotensive, cardiac
depressant, uterotonic and abortifacient.
An aqueous solution of vasicinone
hydrochloride, when studied
in mice and dogs, was found to potentiate
the bronchodilatory activity
of aminophylline, also that of isoprenaline.
Vasicinone exhibited smoothmuscle-
relaxant properties of airways.
Alkaloids present in the plant
showed significant protection against
allergin-induced bronchial obstruction
in guinea pigs.
The leaves are found to activate the
digestive enzyme trypsin.
An extract of the leaves showed
significant antifungal activity against
ringworm.
Adhatoda beddomei C.B. Clarke,
found in Kerala, is considered to be
more powerful and active than A. vasica.
Fresh leaf juice is used in haemoptysis
and menorrhagia, also as an antiasthmatic.
Jacobinia tinctoria Henl. is equated
with the red-flowered var. of Vaasaa.
Ayurvedic pharmacological properties
Rasa : tikta, kashaya
Guna : laghu, ruksha
Virya : sheeta
Vipak : katu
Medicinal properties :
Cures vomitting, cough, rakta pitta, cold. Is a broncho dilator. The vasicine which is present in the leaves of vasa is said to elevate platelet count. The phenomeneon called capillary bleeding is caused due to the decrease in platelet counts.
Useful parts : leaves, roots, flowers, fruits
Therapeutic uses :
-juice of vasa one tbsp with equal amount of honey taken thrice daily cures erysipelas
-the same if taken as decction, 25ml before food, cures bleeding piles and haemmorhagic dysentry
-the ghee prepared out of procesing with 900gms of vasa, 100gms of tippali, 4L of water, 250ml ghee, is used to cure consumption and all other infections and inflammations of chest
-vasa juice and paste of sandal wood if taken 15ml morning and evening cures blood vomiting and erysepelas
-in case of menorrhagia 15ml of vasa juice+15ml jaggery twice daily when intaken cures it
-the juice of vasa leaves obtained after crushing it is applied in pregnant woman for easy delivery
-it is a mainn ingredient of Chyavanaprasa, Vasavaleha, Vasarishta, Gulgguluthikthaka, Dasamoolarishta, Dasamoolakatutraya kashaya etc.
REFERENCE :
1.NESAMANIS AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL PLANTS (MALAYALAM)
2.SPRINGERS INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS
3.WIKIPEDIA
4.http://www.medicinalplantdatabase.com/index.php/item/adhatoda-vasica
No comments:
Post a Comment