Vasa

Names and identification

Language	Name
English	Vasa
Latin/Botanical	Adhatoda vasica Nees (syn. Justicia adhatoda L.)

Key Phytochemical Constituents

• Vasicine (quinazoline alkaloid)
• Vasicinone
• Vasicinol
• 7-Hydroxyvasicine
• Vasicolinone
• Deoxyvasicine
• Adhatodine
• Anisotine

How does it work?

• Bronchodilatory: Vasicine and vasicinone relax bronchial smooth muscle through dual mechanism - beta-2 adrenergic agonism and muscarinic M3 receptor antagonism
• Expectorant/Mucolytic: Vasicine stimulates ciliary motility and enhances serous gland secretion, reducing mucus viscosity and promoting clearance
• Uterotonic: Vasicine stimulates uterine smooth muscle contraction similar to oxytocin through prostaglandin synthesis pathway activation

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

• Kasa-Shwasahara: traditionally used as a bronchodilator and antitussive. Clinical and pharmacological studies have reported an expectorant action of vasicine.
• Hemostatic use: traditionally used for Raktapitta. Studies in bleeding models have reported vasoconstriction and increased platelet aggregation with vasicinone.
• Antimicrobial use: traditionally used for respiratory infections. Studies have reported antibacterial activity against common respiratory pathogens (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae).

What do recent studies show?

• Rudrapal M, Vallinayagam S, Aldosari S and others 2023. Valorization of Adhatoda vasica leaves: Extraction, in vitro analyses and in silico approaches. Frontiers in nutrition. PMID 37063312 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1161471
  In silico and in vitro studies have reported bronchodilator activity for vasicine, with favorable binding to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor and muscarinic M3 receptor antagonism.

Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

• WHO includes it in manual ‘The Use of Traditional Medicine in Primary Health Care’ for cough, asthma
• Contraindicated in pregnancy due to uterotonic and potential abortifacient activity of vasicine; large doses may cause nausea and vomiting; WHO studied vasicine for fertility regulation in 1980s

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Svarasa (fresh leaf juice), Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Syrup (Vasavaleha/Vasa Haritaki), Avaleha, Ghana Vati (solid extract tablet)

Standard Dosage: 10-20 mL fresh juice with honey twice daily; 3-5 g powder twice daily; 50-100 mL decoction twice daily; 1-2 teaspoons Vasavaleha twice daily

Optimal Timing: Before meals with honey for respiratory conditions; morning and evening; avoid during pregnancy

Storage: Dried leaves in airtight, light-resistant containers at 15-25 deg C. Fresh juice at 2-8 deg C. Syrup in amber glass. Monitor vasicine-to-vasicinone ratio during stability studies as indicator of oxidative degradation.

Marker Compounds: Vasicine (peganine), Vasicinone, Vasicol, Vasicinol, Adhatodine, Deoxyvasicine, Maiontone, beta-Sitosterol

Synergistic Combinations

• Kantakari (Solanum surattense) - synergistic bronchodilator
• Tulsi - comprehensive respiratory formula
• Yashtimadhu (licorice) - demulcent + expectorant combination
• Pippali - bioenhancer for respiratory alkaloids
• Haritaki - Vasa Haritaki Avaleha (classical respiratory Rasayana)