Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Malabar nut (Adhatoda vasica), of the Acanthaceae family. Dense evergreen shrub with opposite lance-shaped leaves; native range: throughout the plains and lower hills of the Indian subcontinent. Globally recognized as vasa / vasaka / vrisha in Sanskrit, arusa / adusa in Hindi, arusa / bansa in Urdu, and vasaka, adulsa in English. The part used is leaf (also root and flower). Large soft green leaves, bitter and faintly nauseous, giving off a characteristic tea-like smell when bruised or dried.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
MALABAR NUT
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- malabar nut
- Scientific name
- Justicia adhatoda L. (Adhatoda vasica Nees)
- Family
- Acanthaceae
Form
- Part used
- leaf (also root and flower)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter · astringent (tikta, kashaya)
- Unani
- bitter
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (shita)
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- lungs · liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- kasahara and shvasahara (relieves cough and dyspnoea), raktapittahara (checks bleeding), kaphaghna (expectorant), jvaraghna (antipyretic)
- Unani
- munaffis-e-balgham (expectorant), mohallil (resolvent), habis-ud-dam (haemostatic), musakkin (sedative to the cough), daf-e-bukhar (antipyretic)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- large medicinal doses avoided in pregnancy, as the alkaloid vasicine is oxytocic and abortifacient
- Toxicity
- large doses may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
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