Botanical
name: Justicia adhatoda
Family:
Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)
Synonyms:
Adhatoda vasica, Adhatoda zeylanica
Geographical
distribution: Occurrence
: Found in wastelands
Introduction:
Malabar nut is a small evergreen, sub-herbacious bush which grows commonly in
open plains, especially in the lower Himalayas. The Leaves are 10 to 16 cm in
length, minutely hairy and broadly lanceolate. A herbal plant which requires
very little watering and is an extremely hardy plant is Malabar nut. If there
is one herbal plant that needs to be singled out for propagation and planting
on a large scale, it would be this one. Adhatoda in Tamil, meaning a plant
shunned by herbivorous animals. Propagated easily by cuttings, grows to a
height of eight to 14 feet and has attractive white flowers.
Medicinal
uses: Adhatoda is useful for curing coughs, colds and
asthma and is easy to administer. It has been used for centuries, and is
mentioned in Sanskrit scriptures.
Habit
: Small
evergreen, sub-herbacious
Parts
used : Leaves, roots
Chemical
composition: Leaves contain Alcaloid vasicine,
therapeutic properties attributed to vasicine and essential oil. 1- Vasicine
same as synthetic 1-Peganine. Leaves and roots antispasmodic efficacious in
coughs. Drug useful as expedctorant and mild bronchial antispasmodic.
Crystalline substance oroxylin in the bark of root. Adhatodic acid, bitter
substance pectin.
Therapeutic
uses: Bronchial troubles, asthma, cough, consumption dysentery,
diarrhoea, abortifacient, hemorrhage.
Flowers
:
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