This document summarizes information about the medicinal plant Adhatoda vasica, commonly known as Basaka. It details the plant's botanical classification and describes its main components, which include quinazoline alkaloids. The document outlines the plant's uses in Ayurvedic medicine to treat various respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal conditions. It notes the plant has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 2000 years primarily for respiratory disorders.
2. INTRODUCTION:
Medicinal plants:- plants with
recognized medical use. As
pharmaceutical products as plants in
herbal medicine preparation. Some
plants are cultivated some are found
as wild plants in forest. Now a days
cultivation encouraged for mass
production .
In India 20,000 such sp.are found.
Basaka is one of them.
5. Chemistry: quinazoline alkaloid, vasicine, Vasicol,
adhatodinine and vasicinol
Cultivation : grows in wide range of soils & climatic
condition.
Flowering & fruiting: December to april
Description
It is a large shrub grows crowded along waste land,
roadsides etc. Leaves are simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate,
acute and shiny. Flowers are white in capsule shape.
6. ADHATODA VASICA (VASAKA)
Filed under:
Tags: Acanthaceae, Adatodai, Adulsa, Arusa, Bakas, Malabar
Nut Tree
Plant Family : Acanthaceae
Common name : Adatodai, Arusa, Adulsa, Bakas, Malabar A
Origin : A small evergreen, sub-herbacious bush which
grows commonly in open plains, especially in the lower
Himalayas (up to 1000 meters above sea level), India, Sri
Lanka, Burma and Malaysia.
7. Botanical Identification
Vasaka is a dense perennial shrub.
Leaves are of dark green colour above and pale yellow
below. Flowers are typical, white arranged in
pendunculated spike
8. History : Adhatoda leaves have been used extensively
in Ayurvedic Medicine for more than over 2000 years
primarily for respiratory disorders
Tradition : It was used by traditional midwives at the
time of delivery
Medicinal Parts Used : Leaves, roots, flowers and
stem bark
9. Contains
Leaves
• Quinazoline Alkaloids
- Vasicine – 45-95% (the mucolytic drug
bromhexine was developed from this alkaloid)
N-oxides of vasicine – Vasicinone
- Deoxyvasicine – Oxyvasicinine
- Maiontone
Essential oil
13. Bleeding Disorders :
• bleeding due to idiopathic (unknown)
thrombocytopenic (blood does not have
enough platelets) purpura (excessive
bruising)
Cardiovascular Conditions
• moderate hypotensive activity (lowers blood
pressure)
• pulmonary diseases
14. Female Diseases
• assists uterine involution (rolling or turning
inward)
• menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding)
• uterine stimulant activity
Gastrointestinal Conditions
• dyspepsia
• local bleeding due to peptic ulcer and/or piles
15. Respiratory Tract Conditions
• acute and chronic bronchitis often combined
with the herbs Licorice and Marshmallow for
soothing the respiratory tract
• allergic asthma, often combined with the
herbs Tylophora, etc.
• antihistamine effects (the leaves may be dried
and smoked to relieve asthma)
• broncho-dilation effects
• emphysema
• obstructive airway disease (chronic)
• phthisis (wasting of the ssues as in tuberculosis)
• relieves cough and breathlessness
16. USEs OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF BASAKA
LEAVES: Asthma,piles,diarrhoea.
Flower: Ophthamia
Bark: Acidity, heart disease.
Root: Discharged of placenta after delivery in cattle.
17. CONCLUSION
Vasaka is an important medicinal plant in our
community. Curative aspect of vasaka influenced
by their use in medicinal purposes. In Ayurvedic
medicine ancient country like India, have greater
potential effect in the context of medical science.