A phyto-pharmacological overview on Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. syn. A. vasica (Linn.) Nees

Abstract

Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. syn A. vasica (Linn.) Nees (Vasaka), a popular Indian medicinal plant, has long been used commonly in Ayurvedic system of medicine. The plant has been found to possess diverse number of pharmacological activities. The present paper gives an account of updated information on its phytochemical and pharmacological activities. The review reveals that wide range of phytochemical constituents have been isolated from the plant and it possesses important activities like antitussive, antibacterial, abortifacient, anti-inflammatory and antiulcer. Various other activities like radiomodulation, hypoglycaemic, cardiovascular protection, antitubercular, antiviral, hepatoprotective, antimutagenic and antioxidant have also been reported. These reports are very encouraging and indicate that herb should be studied more extensively for its therapeutic benefits. Clinical trials using vasaka for a variety of combinations in different formulations should also be conducted.