VASAKA – A beneficial herb

The botanical name of this herb is Adhatoda Vasica Acanthaceae. Vasaka is indigenous to India and is commonly known as—Malabar nut, Vasa, Vasaka, Adusa, Adalodakam, and Shwetavasa. Vasaka has been used since many years as a rural medicine. It has now found it’s rightful place in indigenous forms of medicine.

 In Sanskrit too it has many names:

–Vasa VasakaVasika… meaning   covers a large area (of the body)

–Singhasya…meaning   flowers like the mouth of a lion.

–Vajidanta…meaning    white flowers like the teeth of a horse.

–Vrusha……meaning    that which showers honey.

It grows all over the plains of India and in the lower Himalayan ranges. The goats do not eat this plant and therefore it is used very often as a hedge around compounds.

The entire plant, the bark, leaves, root, the flowers are all used for remedial purposes. The leaves contain an alkaloid “vaccine” which is:

-Broncho-dilatory

-Expectorant

-Mucolytic

-Normalises lung function

-Relieves phlegm

Vasaka is used as a remedy for –

• Intestinal parasites
• Tuberculosis
• Fresh wounds
• Rheumatic joints
• Inflammatory swellings
• Scabies and skin diseases
• Diarrhoea and dysentery
• Menorragia
• Bleeding
• Improving the voice

In Ayurveda it is used to normalise “kapha”and”pitta” constitutions.