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Adhatoda zeylanica
Adhatodaa zeylanica Medic., (Adhatoda vasica Nees), Acanthaceae, occurs throughout the plains of India and the sub-Himalayan tracts upto 4,000 ft. This is one of the very symbols of Ayurvedic medicine, for the popular drug vasaka, very widely used in bronchial troubles. Some botanists use the binomial Justicia adhatoda, for this species.
A flowering bush (Adhatoda zeylanica1), an inflorescence (Adhatoda zeylanica2) and the fruits (Adhatoda zeylanica3) are illustrated.
The most important action of the plant is anti-inflammatory. Roots and leaves are used in cough, chronic bronchitis, asthma and phthisis. Leaves are used in rheumatism. Leaf juice is used in diarrhoea, dysentery and glandular tumours. Powdered leaf is used for skin infections, as an antiseptic and an insecticidal. It is also used to reduce gum inflammation. The flowers, leaves and roots are antispasmodic.
The species is often used as a green manure. An ether extract of the leaves yields a resin which is lethal to grain insects.
The leaves contain an alkaloid vasicine (vasicinone), an essential oil, vitamin C (250 mg/100 g and carotenoids (4500 m g/100 g). Vasicine has been synthesised. The flowers contain an essential oil. Seeds yield an oil containing arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, cerotic, oleic and linoleic acids and sistosterol.
Two bases are known from a destructive distillation of the plant, with antispasmodic properties and the steam distillate from the leaves is anthelminthic and weedicide. Oil from different parts of the plant is effective against tuberculosis. Vasicine is also used to stop postpartum haemorrhage.