Adhatoda Vasica (Linn.)
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CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences e-ISSN: 2349-0659 p-ISSN: 2350-0964 REVIEW ARTICLE doi: 10.21276/apjhs.2018.5.2.10 Ethnomedicinal value and pharmacognosy of the member of Acanthaceae: Adhatoda vasica (Linn.) Shilpa Yadav1, Vinod K. Yadav2* 1Department of Botany, Government Dungar College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, 2Water Lab, Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi, India ABSTRACT Due to fewer side effects of herbal medicines, they have gained considerable importance in recent years. There is a booming business opportunity in herbal medicines market so it is important to tap the knowledge of our tribes in the area of herbal medicines. In the present paper, various medicinal properties such as antitussive, oxytoxic, insecticide, wound healing, and antispasmodic of Adhatoda vasica discussed. Based on these uses, it is concluded that this plant has a great potential to be used as drug in isolation as well as in combination with other drugs. Key words: Adhatoda vasica, ethnomedicinal, drug, herbal INTRODUCTION to ovate having crenate margin, tapering base, and an acuminate apex. Flowers are white or creamish-white in color arranged in Ethnobotany is the study of interaction of men and plants in elongated spikes. They are small irregular zygomorphic, bisexual, natural environment. It shows the effect of vegetal environment and hypogynous.[3] All plant parts are extensively used for treating on life, customs, beliefs, and history of the primitive societies. cold, cough, whooping cough, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. These people used the plants around them for therapeutic It is also used as a sedative, expectorant, and antispasmodic.[4] purposes also. The study of ethnobotany helps in socioeconomic development, resource management, and conservation of biodiversity of a region. On the other hand, pharmacognosy is a PHYTOCHEMICALS ISOLATED FROM branch of medical science which deals with the history, commerce, A. VASICA collection, selection, identification, and preservation of crude The chemical compounds found in plant A. vasica includes drugs. Herbal medicines have gained considerable importance essential oils, fats, resins, sugar, gum, amino acids, proteins, and in recent years, as they are safe and have almost no side effects. Vitamins “C”.[5] The phytochemical analysis shows that phenols, The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that world trade in tannins, alkaloids, anthraquinone, saponins, and flavonoids, medicinal plants is a booming business and is likely to increase and reducing sugars were found in the leaves of the plant.[6] significantly in days to come.[1] Thereby, it is important to tap the The screening for mineral elements revealed the presence of knowledge of our tribes in the area of herbal medicines.[2] macro and microelements. Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Iron Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. Syn A. vasica (Linn.) Nees and Justicia (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), and adhatoda (Linn.) are commonly known as Malabar nut (English); Manganese (Mn) were detected in the leaf sample. A. vasica has [7] arusa, baansa, and adulsa (Hindi); bansa, basuti, bhekkar, and shown highest (68070 ± 35.58 ppm) concentration of Ca. Leaves vasaka (Punjabi); basak (Bengali); aradusi and adusa (Gujarati); contain pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids, chiefly vasicine (1,2,3,9– [8] shwetavasa, vasa and vasaka (Sanskrit); bangra (Garhwal); Tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1–b]quinazolin–3–ol, C11H12N2O), and adusoge (Kannada); pavate (Kurchigida); bahekar, baikar, basuth, vasicinone (3–hydroxy–2,3-dihydropyrrolo[2,1–b]quinazolin– [9] and bhenkar (Kashmiri); arus and asing (Kumaon); adalodakam 9(1H)–one, C11H10N2O2). Addition of 2-aminobenzylamine to (Malayalam); bakaspati (Oran); arusa and basung (Oriya); the vicinyl vicinal tricarbonyl reagent leads to the synthesis [10] adhatodai and pavettai (Tamil); and addasaramu (Telugu). It is of vasicine. Besides, vasicine and vasicinone the leaves well distributed throughout India up to height of 1300 m. also contain vasicoline, vasicolinone, vasicinol, adhatodine, adhatonine, and anisotine.[11] The novel quinazoline alkaloid Vasaka belongs to Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Spermatophyte, characterized as 1, 2, 3, 9-tetrahydro-5-methoxypyrrol [2, 1-b] Class: Dicotyledonae, Subclass: Gamopetalae, Series: Bicarpellate, quinazolin-3-ol, and adhavasinone has also been isolated from Order: Personales, and Family: Acanthaceae. A. vasica is an leaves.[12] evergreen, perennial shrub of 1–3 m height, having opposite flavonoids (Apigenin, Astragalin, Kaempferol, Quercetin, and branches. Leaves are simple, petiolate, exstipulate, and lanceolate Vitexin), and The alkanes. flowers[8] Aconstitute new moiety of 2’-4-dihydroxytriterpenes (α-amyrin), chalcone- Address for correspondence: Vinod K. Yadav, Water Lab, Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi, India. *E-mail: [email protected] Received: 15-02-2018; Revised: 20-03-2018; Accepted: 04-04-2018 Page | 40 Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences | Vol. 5 | Issue 2 | April-June | 2018 www.apjhs.com Yadav and Yadav: Medicinal values of Adhatoda vasica 4-glucoside has been identified in flowers.[13] The roots of vasaka produces benzyl amine, ambroxol, and bromhexine which have [14] inhibitory action on growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This, combined with indirect effects including enhancement of contain sitosterol, β-glucoside-galactose, and deoxyvasicine. ETHNOBOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY lysozyme levels in bronchial secretions and levels of rifampicin in lung tissue and sputum, and possibly clearance of bacilli- All the parts of the plant have been used for therapeutic laden mucus from cavities and bronchi, suggests a potentially beneficiary effect from ancient times. It has been found useful useful adjunctive function for these agents in the therapy of in curing respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis.[31] and tuberculosis. A. vasica is known to control internal and external bleeding in case of ulcer and bleeding gums. It also has As a Cure to Gastric Problems [32] antispasmodic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Plant extracts are used to relieve acidity, stomach catarrh [33] [5] It is used as abortifacient and oxytoxic is known by many tribes. with constipation, gout, urinary stone, and liver disorders. The paste of boiled leaves is used to cure dysentery by Meitei Antiasthmatic and Bronchodilator Activity community of Manipur.[34] Leaf powder showed a considerable [35] Adhatoda vasica has been used in traditional medicine to treat degree of antiulcer activity in experimental rats. Syrup of respiratory disorders. Vasaka has been used most frequently for Adhatoda showed improvement in symptoms of dyspepsia.[36] the treatment of cough, asthma, and colds.[15] Ash of leaves, smoke Intravenous dose of 5 mg/kg of was found to increase from leaves, and wood are used for the treatment of asthma, A. vasica bile activity in animals and also bilirubin excretion.[37] The leaves cough, and colds.[16] Many tribes in India chew leaf buds alone or showed significant hepatoprotective effect on liver damage with ginger to clear respiratory passages. Bhils of South Rajasthan induced by d-galactosamine in rats.[38] Decoction of the leaves gargle with juice of plant to cure tonsillitis. A decoction of the stimulated digestion process by activating trypsin enzyme in leaves is effective as an expectorant. The whole plant is used as studies.[39] an ingredient of numerous popular formulations including cough in vitro syrup used in combination with ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Anticholinesterase Activity tulsi (Ocimum sanctum).[17] Kanjang is a fixed combination of Extract of roots causes contraction of intestine and depression A. vasica, Echinacea purpurea, and Eleutherococcus senticosus of heart rate in guinea pigs. It produces transient hypotension in which have antitussive effect.[18] In Sweden, extracts of A. zeylanica cats, thus showing good anticholinesterase activity.[40] have been used against cough by early medical practitioners. Spirote is the preparation of Sweden which causes alleviation of the symptoms of cold and cough (mucolytic as well as dry).[19] Hypoglycemic Activity The herbal healers of Kolli hills prepared a poly herbal drug Both vasicine and vasicinone, the primary alkaloid constituents of formulation by mixing equal proportion of six plants, namely, vasaka are well established as therapeutical respiratory agents.[20] Adhatoda vasica leaves, Syzygium cumini bark, Terminalia These alkaloids in combination (1:1) showed the bronchiodilatory arjuna bark, leaves of Andrographis paniculata, flower of Cassia activity both in vitro and in vivo[17] and suppress coughing by their auriculata, and leaves of Aegle marmelos and used for the effective [41] action on neuronal system in the medulla.[21] treatment of diabetes. Wound-healing Activity The methanolic extract of the leaves of Adhatoda vasica showed the highest sucrase inhibitory activity with sucrose as a substrate. Tribals are known to apply a fine paste of the plant on the wound Further, the result suggested the antidiabetic effect of A. vasica is for healing purpose. The various preparations of leaves are used due to the presence of vasicine and vasicinol compounds in the for curing bleeding and wounds in Southeast Asia.[22-24] leaves.[42] Suspension of non-nitrogenous principle of leaves of The alcoholic extract of the herb shows healing effects in buffalo vasaka if taken orally