Vasaka
(Botanical Name: Adhatoda vasica)
Description and
composition:
Vasaka, also called malabar nut tree, is well known throughout India. It is
tall with several branches, dense and an evergreen shrub. Leaves are
large and lance-shaped. It has capsule in colour. Its trade name is
vasaka is based on Sanskrit name. The leaves contain an alkaloid
vasicine besides an essential oil.
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
known as gulkand 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
7 leaves of the plant are boiled in water, strained and mixed with 24
grams of honey. This decoction provides relief. Similarly a
confection of vasaka flowers eaten in doses of 12 grams twice daily
relieves cough. About 60 grams of flowers and 180 grams of jaggery
should be mixed for preparing this confection.
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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 in doses of 30 gram 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, in doses of 15-30.The leaves can be made in to
a decoction or the dry leaves can be given in powder form in doses
of 2 grams. 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 :
Janamghunti
Vasavaleha
Kasamrit Herbal
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