Vasaka: Best Herb for Cough, Cold, Asthma, Bronchitis (Malabar Nut)

Table of Contents

“Vasaka cure cough and respiratory diseases by maintaining the equilibrium of dhosha, dhatu and malas.”

1. Introduction

Vasaka (Justicia Adhatoda) is commonly known as Malabar nut tree, is a shrub growing throughout India. It is a well-known drug used for respiratory tract disorder in both Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine. In Ayurvedic preparations, Vasaka leaf juice is incorporated in more than 20 formulations.

It is indigenous to India and grows in the plains of India and in the lower Himalayan region. It is a tall, evergreen shrub that has a dense appearance due to its multiple branches growing in an ascending manner on opposite sides. It is a medicinal plant widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is native to Asia and is known for its various health benefits.

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2. Common Names

• Family – Acanthaceae
• Hindi Name – Vasa, Adusa, Arusa
• English Name – Malabar nut, Vasaka

3. Vernacular Names

• Assamese – Titabahak, Bahak
• Bengali – Baksa, Vasaka
• Gujrati – Aduso, Adusoge
• Kannada – Adsale, Adusoge
• Malayalam – Attalatakam
• Marathi – Vasa
• Tamil – Bhekar, Vansa
• Telugu – Addasaramu
• Oriya - Basanga

4. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Tikta skanda
• Sushrut Samhita – Tikta skanda, Shakavarga
• Ashtanga Hridaya – Viratarvadi gana
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhayadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Shatahwadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga

5. Synonyms

• Karkasha – The leaves are minutely pubescent.
• Kasanoptatana – It is useful in kasa (cough).
• Raktamutrajit – Relieves the passing of blood in urine or hematuria.
• Sinhika – It is useful un many diseases.
• Vasadani – It is helpful in the treatment of obesity.

6. Distribution

It is distributed throughout India up to an altitude of 1,300 m especially in sub-Himalayan region.

7. Morphology

It is perennial evergreen shrub of 3 to 4 ft in height.

Leaves – Simple, stipulate, 10 to 2 cm long and 3 to 10 cm broad, lanceolate to ovate in shape, alternate, entire margin, acute apes, hairy, light green above, dark below and leathery.

Flowers – White with red or yellow barred throats, in short dense axillary peduncle spikes with large bracts.

Fruit – Capsules are clavate, longitudinally channelled, 1.9 to 2.2 cm x 0.8cm and seeds are globular.

8. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Tikta, Kasaya in (bitter, astringent) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Sheeta in nature (cool).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): The post-digestive taste is Katu (pungent).
• Guna – Guru, Snigdha

9. Chemical Constituent

The leaves are rich source of alkaloids of which vasicine and vasicinone are bioactive. A non-nitrogenous neutral principle, vasakin, vasicinone, two new quinazoline alkaloids, one of which was named as adhvasinone, and two new pyrroloquinoline alkaloids.

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10. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 21%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 1%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 3%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 22%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 2004)

11. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Action

The actions of Vasaka are cardiotonic, pacify kapha and pitta, reduce bleeding, anticough, cures skin disorders, antipyretic, antiemetic and analgesic.

• Doshakarma – Kaphapittahara
• Dhatukarma – Raktasangrahika

Pharmacological Action

It also has antitussive, bronchodilator, respiratory stimulant, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, uterine stimulant, antiviral, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties.

12. Health Benefits

It is beneficial in respiratory diseases like cough and asthma, internal haemorrhage, fever, vomiting, diabetes, skin disease, spasmodic pain, tuberculosis, jaundice, and thirst, The leaves, flowers, fruits and roots are extensively used for treating cold, cough, whooping cough, chronic bronchitis, and asthma, as it has sedative, expectorant and antispasmodic properties. It relieves the irritable cough by its soothing action on nerves and by liquefying the sputum which makes expectoration easier.

It is also used in diarrhoea, bleeding dysentery, haemoptysis, bleeding piles, haemorrhage, joint pain, burning sensation, acidity, skin disease, and vitiated pitta conditions.

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13. Therapeutic Uses

Asthma - Inhale the smoke of Malabar nut dried leaves, which gives relief from asthma.

Cough - Take 7 leaves of Malabar nut and boiled in water, strain them, and mixed with 24 grams of honey, giving relief from cough.

Take 12 grams of Malabar nut flowers powder with water daily, help to cure cough.

Take 60 grams of Malabar nut flowers powder and mix with 180 grams of jaggery, helps to cure cough.

Diarrhoea and Dysentery - Take 2-4 grams of fresh Malabar nut leaves juice, gives relief from Diarrhoea and Dysentery.

Intestinal Worms - The decoction of root and bark in doses of 30 grams twice or thrice a day, for 3 days, gives relief from intestinal worms.

The fresh juice of leaves can also be used in a dose of one tsp thrice a day for 3 days.

Skin Problems - Take Malabar nut leaves juice and mixed with ginger and honey, take 30 grams of this mixture daily, helps to treat skin problems.

Irritable Cough - Take 30 ml Malabar nut leaves juice with honey thrice a day, gives relief from irritable cough.

Fever caused by pitta and kapha – Juice of Vasaka leaves mixed with sugar and honey alleviates fever. Decoction of Vasaka, Giloy and Kantakari mixed with honey alleviates fever and cough. Similarly, decoction of Kantakari mixed with Pippali powder alleviates cough. Ghee cooked with Vasaka, Giloy is useful in chronic fever, edema, and anaemia.

Rejuvenation – Oil cooked with the decoction of Vasaka root should be taken, it promotes intellect and life span.

Pox – in kapha type, juice of Vasaka should be given with honey.

Vomiting – Vasaka is an excellent remedy for vomiting, cough and intrinsic haemorrhage.

14. Official Part Used

Leaves, Root, Flowers

15. Doses

Flower/Leaf Juice – 10 to 20 ml

Root Decoction – 40 to 80 ml or 10 to 20 g of the dried drug for decoction.

16. Malabar Nut Green Tea

Here is a simple and easy recipe for Malabar Nut Green Tea, you can make it at home.

Ingredients

• Malabar Nut leaves Powder or fresh leaves – 1 tsp
• Water – 1 cup
• Green Tea – 1 tsp
• Cinnamon Powder – ¼ tsp
• Green Cardamom – 1 clove

Method

• Take a tea pan and add water to boil.
• Add all the items and boil them for 2 minutes.
• Strain the tea in a cup, and add lemon and honey as per your preferences.