Research Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091 REVIEW ON KRISHNA VASA (JUSTICA GENDARUSSA BURM) KUMBHOJKAR VIDYANAND FANCHU Assistant professor, Dept. of Dravyaguna, Seth Govindji Raoji Ayurved Mahavidyalay, Solapur, Maharashtra, India ABSTRACT Acharyas have mentioned Krishna vasa (Justica gendarussa Burm. ) as one of the types of Vasa(Adathoda vasica). It is having properties like Jwaraghna (antipyretic), Kaphanissarak (an- titussive) etc. Vasa (Adathoda vasica) which is of Shita virya, Krishna vasa (Justica gendarussa Burm) is having ushna virya. As the plant is therapeutically very important, it will be worth- while to review its Ayurvedic uses, phytochemistry, research on its various activities. The avail- able information on this plant is retrieved from various technical & scientific sources viz. books, websites, journals etc. & is presented under different sections. The review might be helpful for physicians to use this drug in different diseases & for scientists to do the further research for its claimed traditional uses. Keywords: Krishna Vasa, Justica gendarussa Burm. INTRODUCTION Justica gendarussa is mentioned as one of russa Burm), commonly known as willow- the type of Vasa Its references are not found leaved justicia. It is a small erect, branched in ancient classical texts of Samhitas or shrub, endemic to India. It is a native plant Nighantus, recent acharyas like Dr V G De- of china but is found wild or cultivated in sai in his book Aushadhisamgraha, Dr. K C Srilanka, India, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. It Chunekar in hindi commentary of Bhava- is botanically classified as follows: prakasha, Dr P V Sharma etc. have given reference of Krishna vasa.(Justica genda- SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants) Division: Mangnoliophyta (Flowering plants) Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotylidons) Subclass: Asteridae (Sympetalous plants with 2 fused . carpels) Order: Lamiales (Flower Bilaterally symmetrical & 5 petals) Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Justica Species: gendarussa Burm Kumbhojkar Vidyanand Fanchureview On Krishna Vasa (Justica Gendarussa Burm) ly decotion is used to relive pain. It is admi- HABITATE nistered with sarshap taila (oil of Indian col- It is commonly found along za )for vamana (emesis)6. It is Febri- steams at low and medium fuge,diaphorectic, emetic, emmenegogue. altitudes. Infusion of leaves is given internally in ce- MORPHOLOGY: Justica gendarussa brum. phalalgia, hemiplagia and facial paralysis. Is an erect, branched, smooth, undershrub, 1 Fresh leaves are used topically in odema & to 1.5 meter tall. rheumatism7. It is considered to have anti- Leaves: Lanceolate, 7 to 14 cm long, dysenteric property 8. The leaf juice is used pointed at ends. Flowers: Small, in 4 to 12 in the treatment of earache. The bitter root is cm long spikes, at the end of branches or in anodyne, diaphoretic, diuretic & laxative.9 leaf axils. They are White or Pink coloured Besides these mentioned uses large amount with purple spots. of research work is also carried out on Justi- Fruit: Capsule, club shaped, about 12mm cia gendarussa such as: The ethanolic extract long, smooth. of Justicia gendarussa showed significant A- Plant of Justica gendarussa Burm anti-arthritic activity that was statistically B- Flowers & Leaves of Justica gendarussa similar to that of aspirin10 Burm In Indonesia Justicia gendarussa has GUNA:Krishna vasa is having ushna virya1 long been used in homeopathically to reduce & is of Ruksha guna2 stress, but more recently was found to have The Rasa panchak(properties) is not men- an alternate side effect as ‘Male Infetility’ tioned in texts but by Anumana prama- Scientists worked to isolate the active sub- na(hypothesis) on considering its kar- stance ‘Gandarusa’ and distill it into pill mas(actions), we can say that it is having form. Using the pill for 20 days resulted in katu, tikta rasa & katuvipaka. just one pregnancy among 164 in the treat- CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: ment group. It is all natural, reversible with The leaves contain beta-sitosterol, an alkalo- almost no side effects. Gandarusa essential- id, lupeol, friedelin, and aromatic amines3 ly de-activates two types of proteins on The phytochemical screening also showed sperm head which are necessary for egg pe- the presence of terpenoids, flavanoids, gly- netration thus the sperm becomes incapable cosides, tannins and saponnins4 for fertilization11 KARMA: It acts as Jwaraghna (antipyretic), Recent scientific studies have shown Kaphanissarak (antitussive), Vama- that the extract from the Justicia gendarussa ka(emetic), Virechaka(purgative)5. leaf helps in providing immunity from the USES: In respiratory disorders 2 to 4 leaves novel human influenza virus H1N1 (swine of Krishna vasa is administered along with flu)12 Further in animal experiments it was Apamarga(Achyranthes aspera Linn.) and observed that ethanolic extract from leaves madhu(honey). In pneumonia 4 leaves of of Justica gendarussa can decrease serum Krishna vasa along with bark of Shi- uric acid level in hyperuremic rats13 The al- gru(Moringa pterigosperma) and Madhu is kaloid extract from leaves of Justicia genda- to be given. In Jwara(fever) it produces russa Burm. was found to be most signifi- sweating & in Aamavata (arthritis) external- 1050 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 6; November- December - 2014 Kumbhojkar Vidyanand Fanchureview On Krishna Vasa (Justica Gendarussa Burm) cant inhibitor of gram positive bacterial 5. Chunekar K C, Bhavaprakash nighan- species14 tu,Reprint 2004,Chaukhamba Bharati Academy 323 pp DISCUSSION 6. Chunekar K C, Bhavaprakash nighan- Justica gendarussa burm. Is an erect under- tu,Reprint 2004,Chaukhamba Bharati shrub, leaf is lanceolate, bears white/pink Academy 323 pp flowers, it is of katu,tikta rasa, ushna virya, 7. C.P. Khare, Indian Medicinal katu vipaka & ruksha guna. It is a good re- Plants,Reprint 2008,350 pp. medy for Jwara & Kaphavikaras. Recent 8. R. N. Chopra, Indigenous Drugs of In- researches have proven its efficacy in arthri- dia, 2nd edition,U.N.Dhur & Sons Pvt. tis, male infertility, gout etc. its antibacterial Limited,605 pp potential was also observed. 9. http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net RECOMMENDATION: 10. FJaijesh Paval, Srinivasan Keloth Kai- It is recommended to carry out toxicity stu- theri& Oth- dies & sufficient clinical trails along with ers,www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed Justica gendarussa burm. 11. www.humanosphere.org/science/2013/0 4/male-birth-control-made-in-indonesia. REFERENCES 12. syedakbarin- 1. Chunekar K C, Bhavaprakash nighan- dia.blogspot.in/2011/04/justicia- tu,Reprint 2004,Chaukhamba Bharati gendarussa-water-willow.html Academy 323 pp 13. Katrin Basah, Berna Elya, & others, 2. Vd. D.V.Bodas, Dravyagunashastra 3rd Makara, Sains, vol. 15, NO. 1, April edition, 305 pp) 2011: 67-70 3. C.P. Khare, Indian Medicinal 14. A.Sivasakthi* And Vijayalakshmi, Int. Plants,Reprint 2008, 350 pp. J. Pharm Bio. Sci. 2014 April ; 5 (2) : 4. A.Sivasakthi And Vijayalakshmi M, Int (B) 433 - 438 B – 433 J Pharm Bio Sci 2014 April ; 5 (2) : (B) 433 - 438 B - 433 A- Plant of Justica gendarussa Burm 1051 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 6; November- December - 2014 Kumbhojkar Vidyanand Fanchureview On Krishna Vasa (Justica Gendarussa Burm) B- Flowers & Leaves of Justica gendarussa Burm CORRESPONDING AUTHOR DR. KUMBHOJKAR VIDYANAND FANCHU Assistant professor, Dept. of Dravyaguna, Seth Govindji Raoji Ayurved Mahavidyalay, Solapur,Maharashtra, India Email: [email protected] 1052 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 6; November- December - 2014.