Talk:Vasa
| Section/Chapter | Herb database/Vasa |
|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Adhatoda vasica Nees. |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Availability | Available |
| Contributors | Team Dravyaguna |
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre |
| DOI | Awaited |
Adhatoda vasica Nees. , popularly known as Vasa, is a well-known evergreen, sub-herbaceous bush native to India and Southeast Asia. It is widely revered in Ayurveda as the foremost expectorant and bronchodilatory drug of choice for managing respiratory ailments, cough, asthma, and bleeding disorders. Modern studies have focused mainly on its quinazoline alkaloids and on its antitussive, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory and antitubercular effects, which are summarised below.
English name
Malabar nut[1]
Therapeutic Uses
Bronchial asthma (svasa), Jaundice (kamala), Cough (kasa), Tuberculosis (kshaya), Skin diseases (kustha), Diabetes mellitus (prameha), Intrinsic haemorrhage (raktapitta).[1]
Other Varieties / Other Botanical names
- Adeloda serrata Raf.
- Adhatoda pubescens Moench
- Adhatoda vasica Nees
- Adhatoda zeylanica Medik.
- Dianthera latifolia Salisb.
- Ecbolium adhatoda (L.) Kuntze
- Gendarussa adhadota (L.) Steud.
Botanical Profile & Traditional Context
In traditional medicine, Vasa is classified as a vital drug for pacifying Pitta and Kapha doshas. Its bitter taste and cold potency make it exceptional for clearing respiratory obstructions, stopping internal bleeding, and alleviating inflammatory swellings.
Bhavaprakasha Nighantu
Mentioned 2 types[2]
- Raktapushpa – Graptophyllum pictum Griff.
- Krushna – Justicia gendarussa Burm. f.
Synonyms in Charak Samhita
Vrushaka, Vrushamula, Simhika, Atarushaka, Tamra, Aturasa, Simhasya (flowers resemble the mouth of a lion), Bhishakmata, Vrusha.
Additional Synonyms in Bhavprakasha Nighantu
Vaasaka, Vaasika, Vajidanta (flowers of vasa are white as teeth of a horse), Simhaparna.[3]
Ayurvedic Pharmacological Properties
| Sr.no. | Pharmacological criteria | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taste (rasa) | Bitter (tikta), Astringent (kashaya) |
| 2 | Potency (veerya) | Cold (sheeta) |
| 3 | Post digestion effect (vipaka) | Pungent (katu) |
| 4 | Qualities (guna) | Light (laghu), Rough (ruksha) |
| 5 | Actions (karma) | Pacify Kapha and Pitta |
Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions
| Sr.no. | Reference in Charak Samhita | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 3/3 | Siddhatama churna pradeha (external application) |
| 2 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 14/31 | Dravya for Nadi Sweda (fomentation) |
| 3 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 27/96 | Shaka Varga (group of vegetables) |
| 4 | Cha.Sa. Vimana Sthana 8/143 | Tiktaskandha (group of bitter drugs) |
| 5 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 1/1/64 | In formulation of Chyavanaprasha |
| 6 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/222 | As an ingredient of Vasadi Ghrita |
| 7 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/247 | Used in niruha basti (enema) |
| 8 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/258 | As an ingredient of Chandanadhya taila |
| 9 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 4/65 | As an ingredient of Atarushakadi kwatha |
| 10 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 4/88 | As an ingredient of Vasaghrita |
| 11 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 5/126 | Ingredient in Vasa Ghrita for Pittaj Gulma |
| 12 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 8/105 | Ghrita preparation in treatment of Daha (burning sensation) |
| 13 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 12/67 | As a Snana dravya for bahyaprayogartha |
| 14 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 12/72 | As an Unmardan dravya in Kaphaj Shvayathu |
| 15 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/44 | Used in avasechana in arsha roga (hemorrhoids) |
| 16 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/153 | As an ingredient of dvitiya phalarista |
| 17 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/214 | Used for parisechana in rakta arsha |
| 18 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/125 | As an ingredient of candanadhya ghrita |
| 19 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 23/243 | As an ingredient of Amruta ghrita |
| 20 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/52 | Used in Sarva mutrakruchhra |
| 21 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/60 | As an ingredient of Pashanbhedadi churna |
| 22 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/69 | As an ingredient of Karpasmooladi yoga |
| 23 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/239 | Used in Kaphaja netra roga for Aaschotana karma |
| 24 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 28/170 | As an ingredient of Vrushamuladi taila |
| 25 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 29/152 | As an ingredient of Triphaladi kalka in tridoshaja shola |
Dose
- Swarasa (Juice): 10–20 ml
- Kwatha (Decoction): 10–20 ml[1]
Important Formulations
As per A.P.I.[1]
- Vasakavaleha
Current Availability
Available
- In India: Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam.
- Out of India: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania.
Phytoconstituents
Quinazoline alkaloids
Vasicine is the main alkaloid of the plant. A second alkaloid, vasicinone (C11H10N2O2), was isolated in crystalline form from the leaves and found to be a much weaker base than vasicine. It is identical to the quinazolone obtained by oxidising vasicine with hydrogen peroxide, and it was reported as a bronchodilator alkaloid.[4]
Volatile oil (leaves)
Hydrodistillation of the leaves gave 0.096% (v/w) essential oil. GC-MS identified eleven compounds, of which borneol (58.60%) was the most abundant.[5]
Therapeutic Efficacy: Pharmacological Evidence
The evidence summarised below is from animal and in vitro studies. No controlled human clinical trial of Vasa alone was verified during the preparation of this monograph.
Bronchodilatory and anti-asthmatic activity (Svasa)
In a screening of traditional antiasthmatic plants, alkaloids from Adhatoda vasica that had not been described before gave pronounced protection against allergen-induced bronchial obstruction in guinea pigs (10 mg/ml, by aerosol).[6]
Antitussive activity (Kasa)
The antitussive effect of an Adhatoda vasica extract was studied against coughing induced by mechanical or chemical stimulation in animals, which supports the traditional use of Vasa in cough.[7]
Anti-inflammatory activity
Five alkaloids from the chloroform fraction (vasicine, vasicinone, vasicine acetate, 2-acetyl benzylamine and vasicinolone) showed anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Vasicine inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema by 59.51% at 20 mg/kg, and vasicinone inhibited CFA-induced paw oedema by 63.94% at 10 mg/kg.[8]
Antitubercular activity (Kshaya)
Vasicine acetate and 2-acetyl benzylamine, isolated from the hexane extract of the leaves, significantly inhibited Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including a multi-drug-resistant strain, in vitro. The authors suggested they could be evaluated further as antitubercular drug leads.[9]
Other traditional uses
Experimental evidence for the traditional uses in internal bleeding (raktapitta), jaundice (kamala) and diabetes (prameha) was not verified during the preparation of this monograph, so no efficacy claim is made for them.
Safety, Toxicity, and Precautions
- Uterine effects: Several scientific reports in the last decades have described oxytocic (uterine-stimulating) and abortifacient effects of vasicine and of alkaloids derived from the plant. A critical review concluded that these reports raise questions about the safety of Adhatoda vasica as a herbal medicine, so it should be avoided in pregnancy and used only under qualified supervision.[10]
Summary of Therapeutic Profile
| Indication | Experimental finding | Type of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Bronchial asthma (Svasa) | Protection against allergen-induced bronchial obstruction by alkaloids; vasicinone reported as bronchodilator | Guinea pig model |
| Cough (Kasa) | Antitussive effect against mechanically and chemically induced cough | Animal models |
| Inflammatory swelling | Vasicine and vasicinone reduced paw oedema | Rat models |
| Tuberculosis (Kshaya) | Vasicine acetate and 2-acetyl benzylamine inhibited M. tuberculosis | In vitro |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume I:76.
- ↑ Prof. K.C. Chunekar, Bhavprakasha Nighantu, Reprint 2015, Chaukhambha Vishvabharti, Guduchyadi Varga, verse no. 88-89, p. 306.
- ↑ Prof. K.C. Chunekar, Bhavprakasha Nighantu, Reprint 2015, Chaukhambha Vishvabharti, Guduchyadi Varga, verse no. 88-89, p. 308-309.
- ↑ Amin AH, Mehta DR. A bronchodilator alkaloid (vasicinone) from Adhatoda vasica Nees. Nature. 1959;184(Suppl 17):1317. doi:10.1038/1841317a0
- ↑ Sarker AK, Chowdhury JU, Bhuiyan HR. Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil collected from Adhatoda vasica leaves. Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research. 2011;46(2):191–194. doi:10.3329/bjsir.v46i2.8185
- ↑ Dorsch W, Wagner H. New antiasthmatic drugs from traditional medicine? International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology. 1991;94(1–4):262–265. doi:10.1159/000235378. PMID: 1937886
- ↑ Dhuley JN. Antitussive effect of Adhatoda vasica extract on mechanical or chemical stimulation-induced coughing in animals. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1999;67(3):361–365. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(99)00074-4. PMID: 10617073
- ↑ Singh B, Sharma RA. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids from Adhatoda vasica Nees. Phytomedicine. 2013;20(5):441–445.
- ↑ Ignacimuthu S, Shanmugam N. Antimycobacterial activity of two natural alkaloids, vasicine acetate and 2-acetyl benzylamine, isolated from Indian shrub Adhatoda vasica Ness. leaves. Journal of Biosciences. 2010;35(4):565–570. doi:10.1007/s12038-010-0065-8
- ↑ Claeson UP, Malmfors T, Wikman G, Bruhn JG. Adhatoda vasica: a critical review of ethnopharmacological and toxicological data. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2000;72(1–2):1–20. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00225-7. PMID: 10967448