Vasaka
(Botanical Name: Adhatoda vasica)
Description and
composition:
Vasaka, also called Malabar nut tree, is well known throughout
India.
It is a small evergreen, subherbacious
bush. The Leaves are 10 to 16 cms in large and lance-shaped. The
leaves contain an alkaloid vasicine besides an essential oil.
The inflorescence is dense,
short pedunculate, bractate and spike terminal. The corolla is large
and white with lower lip streaked purple. The fruit is a 4-seeded
small capsule.
Plant part used :
Leaves, roots,
flowers and stem bark. In Ayurveda the leaf
is widely used.
Healing
power and curative properties
The leaves, roots and the flower are extensively used
in indigenous medicine as a remedy for cold, cough, bronchitis and
asthma.
Bronchitis and asthma:
In acute stages of bronchitis it gives unfailing relief, especially
where the sputum is thick and sticky. It liquefies the sputum so
that it is brought up more easily. For relief in asthma.
Tuberculosis:
In Ayurveda a preparation made from Vasaka flowers is used to treat tuberculosis.
A few fresh petals of Vasaka flowers should be bruised and put in a
pot of china clay. Some sugar crystals are added and the jar kept in
the sun .It should be stirred every morning and evening. The
preserve is ready for use in about a month.
Cough:
For cough
leaves of the plant are boiled in water, strained and mixed with honey
can be taken. This decoction provides relief. Similarly a
confection of Vasaka flowers eaten twice daily relieves cough.
Intestinal worms:
Its leaves bark the root bark; the fruit and flowers are useful in
the removal of intestinal parasites. The decoction of its root and
bark twice or thrice
daily for 3 days can be given for this purpose .The juice of its
fresh leaves can also be used in doses of a teaspoon thrice a day
for 3 days.
Skin Diseases:
A poultice of its leaves can be applied with
beneficial results over fresh wounds, rheumatic joints and
inflammatory swellings. A warm decoction of its leaves is useful in
treating scabies and other skin diseases.
Methods for used and dosages:
The drug Vasaka
is often taken in the form of juice extracted from its leaves, mixed
with ginger or honey. The leaves can be made in to
a decoction or the dry leaves can be given in powder form. Both the decoction and powder are constituents of many
preparations used in Ayurvedic medicine for various affections of
the respiratory tract. The root and the bark have the same medicinal
uses as the leaves.
Ayurvedic supplements that contains Vasaka :
Dr.Honey
Vasavaleha
Kasamrit Herbal
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