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CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL
AND APPLIED SCIENCES
Volume: 03 Issue: 08 | Aug 2022 ISSN: 2660-5317
https://cajotas.centralasianstudies.org
Enumeration on Therapeutic and Ethnopharmacological Properties
of Adosa [Adhatoda Vasica (L.) Nees]
Dilip Kumar Sharma
Director, Regional Centre, Vardhman Mahaveer Open University (VMOU), Rawatbhata Road,
Kota, Rajasthan, India
Vinod Kumar Jain
Poddar International College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Received 24
th
May 2022, Accepted 13
th
June 2022, Online 20
th
Aug 2022
Abstract: Adosa (Adhatoda vasica) is an important medicinal plant widely used in Unani system of
medicine of (Family-Acanthaceae). The leaves of Adhatoda vasica contain several biologically active
phytochemicals such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenolics and flavonoids. It mainly consists of
pyrroquinazoline, alkaloids, viz. vasicine, vasicol, vasicinone, peganine along with other minor
constituents. The plant possesses diverse pharmacological activities, In Unani system of medicine, the
drug is described as having dafa-e-tashannuj (anti-spasmodic), qatil-e-jarasim (antibiotic), mukhrij-e-
balgham (expectorant), dafa-e-humma (antipyretic) properties due to which it is prescribed in a wide
range of ailments like influenza, tuberculosis, bronchitis, gastric ulcers etc. Leaf juice is beneficial in the
treatment of dysentery and diarrhoea. Various other activities like radio modulation, hypoglycaemic
effect, cardiovascular protection, antitubercular, antiviral, hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity have
also been reported..
Keywords: Adhatoda vasica, medicinal, ethnopharmacological, therapeutic, enumeration, ailments,
constituents.
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Introduction
Secondary metabolites obtained from traditional medicinal plants are known to play immortal roles in
ancient and modern medicinal system. These compounds are ecofriendly and act as versatile source of
agrochemicals and other drugs. Further, these compounds have shown numerous biological activities such
as antiseptic, anti-asthmatic, diuretic, antispasmodic, antipyretic, diaphoretic, analgesic, sedative,
fungicidal, herbicidal, insecticidal, insect repellent etc. So, in the present times new and efficient
methodologies are needed to be developed for the production of drugs and agrochemicals of botanical
origin. Adhatoda vasica commonly known as Vasaka in Ayurveda belongs to family Acanthaceae. [1,2]
This plant has been used in the indigenous system of medicine in India for over 2000 years. A. vasica is a