Adhatoda is a common medicinal plant. Two major species are important medicinally viz., Adhatoda vasica (Justicia adhatoda or, Valiya adalodakam) and Adhatoda beddomei (Cheriya adalodakam).
Justicia adhatoda (syn. Adhatoda vasica) is a medicinal plant native to Asia. (Family: Acanthaceae)
Cheriya adalodakam is the medicinally important species mostly seen in Kerala. It is one of the main ingredients of many ayurvedic preparations. Leaves and roots of the plant are medicinal. Leaves contain an alkaloid vasicine, which is effective against cough, chronic bronchitis, asthma etc.
Medicinal uses of Adhatoda, it has the following properties :
Antiasthmatic ,
Antispasmodic (respiratory tract),
Bronchodilator,
Expectorant (relaxing),
Oxytocic, etc.
The leaf extracts of adhatoda is used as an expectorant especially in chronic bronchitis and asthma. It relieves cough and breathlessness. It is also prescribed commonly for local bleeding due to peptic ulcer, piles etc. Its local use gives relief in pyorrhoea and in bleeding gums. The leaves of the plant contain two major alkaloids called vasicine, and vasicinone, which are shown to be having bronchodilator and antihistaminic effects. These alkaloids are said to exist in combination with an acid that has been named adhatodic acid.
