Adhathoda vascica (VASA)

Vasa is known to Indian therapeutics right from the  Vedic period. The  synonym Simhi is used in the vedic period to denote Brhati but not for  vasa. Vasa is a well known herb for respiratory disorders, bleeding disorders and febrile illness. Caraka documented the flowers of Vasa as kapha-pitta hara while Sushruta mentioned them as kshayahara and kasahara. Vagbhata emphasized its role in raktapitta. Sodhala and Yogaratnakara have emphatically claimed that it is a definite treatment for raktapitta, kshaya and kasa.

It is reported that Vasa leaves are adulterated with Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. leaves (Dr Sathakopan).

Different Varieties –

Though there are no varieties mentioned in the classical literature, some Vaids are using A. beddomi Clarke as Vasa. P.V. Sharmaji reported that Justacia gendarussa Linn. is being used as k¾¦Äa Vasa. Dr. Desai quoted Justicia picta Linn. as Raktapuspa Vasa.

Botanical Description –

A dense shrub. Leaves – elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate. Flowers– in dense spikes, white; bracts ovate or obovate; calyx deeply five-lobed; stamens glabrous. Fruits– four seeded capsules. Seeds– glabrous. Flowering and fruiting between Ferbruary-May. Distribution– Found throughout India.

Major Chemical Constituents– Vasicine (peganine), vasicinine, -sitosterol, Kaempferol, 3-sophoroside, luteolin, tritriacontane, adhatodic acid, Carotene, vasakin, vasicinol 1  q-hydroxyvasicine, vasicinone, vit-C, vasicol, vasicinol, vasicinolone, adhatodine, adhavasinone, anisotine, vasicolone, vasicolinone etc.

Therapeutic Uses–

Part Used– Leaf, root, flower

Dosage– Leaf juice 10-20 ml; root decoction 40-80 ml; flower juice 10-20 ml

Research–

(1) Relaxation producing activity of dl-vasicinone on isolated guinea pig tracheal muscle was about 1/2000 that of adrenaline (Nature 1962, 196, 1217).

(2) Uterotonic activity of vasicine in different species of animals in vivo was similar to that of oxytocin and methylergometrine. The effect was influenced by the degree of prining of uterus by estrogens and was markedly decreased after pretreatment of uterus with aspirin and indomethacin (IJMR, 1977, 66, 865).

(3) Vasicine showed bronchodilatory activity both in vitro and in vivo comparable with that of theophyllin. Vasicinone showed bronchodilatation in vitro. Both in combination had more bronchodilatory activity in vitro and in vivo. Vasicine also exhibited respiratory and uterine stimulant activity and moderate hypotensive activity (IJMR, 1977, 66, 680).

(4) Vasicine showed abortificient effect in guina pigs depending on the stage of pregnancy and prior priming of animals with estradiol (Ind. J. Exp. Biol. 1978, 16, 1075).

(5) Intra-amniotic injection of vasicine HCl was effective in inducing mild-trimestor abortions at dose of 60 mg (J. obstet. Gynaecol. India 1979, 29, 939).

(6) Bronchodilatory activity of vasicinone was compared to that of isoprenaline and aminophylline (Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 1982, 8, 833).

(7) Vasicine produced marked potentiation of contractile response of isolated uterus to oxytocin. It potentiated oxytocin response in isolated mammary strips of rat (Gautam & Sharma, 1982).

(8) Vasicine also potentiated prostaglandin-induced uterine contractions in rats (Lal & Sharma, 1981).

(9) Vasicine’s combination with oxytocin may help to decrease the dose of oxytocin for induction of labour or abortion (Zutshi et al., 1980).

(10) The haemostatic activity of A. vasica is reported (Atal et al., 1982).