VASA (Root)
Vasa consists of dried root of Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. Syn. A. vasica Nees (Fam. Acanthacem); a sub-herbaceous bush, found throughout the year in plains and sub-Himalayan tracts of the country ascending upto 1200 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Vrsa, Atarusa, Vasaka, Simhasya, Vajidana
Assamese : Titabahak, Bahak, Vachaka
Bengali : Bakas, Basak
English : Vasaka, Malabar Nut tree
Gujrati : Ardusi, Aradusi, Araduso
Hindi : Adoosa, Arusa, Aduss
Kannada : Adusoye
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Adalodakam, Adarooshaka
Marathi : Adulsa, Vasa
Oriya : Vasanga, Basanga
Punjabi : Vishuti, Bhekar, Vansa, Arusa
Tamil : Adatodai
Telugu : Adda, Saramu
Urdu : Adusa(Arusa)
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Drug occurs in cut pieces of 8 to 13 cm long, 1.5 to 3.0 cm in dia.; hard, woody, almost cylindrical, tap root having lateral branches, rough due to longitudinal cracks or fissures; greyish-brown to dark brown externally; creamish-white internally; fracture, hard; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic
Shows 6 to 15 layers of rectangular to slightly tangentially elongated, thin-walled cork cells; secondary cortex wide consisting of rectangular to polygonal, thin-walled parenchymatous cells a few containing oil globules, followed by more or less discontinuous, annular band of mostly rectangular groups of stone cells having distinct pits and striations; secondary phloem composed of 15 to 20 layered, rectangular, elongated, thin-walled cells having usual elements; secondary xylem composed of vessels, fibres, parenchyma and rays; vessel simple pitted; xylem rays mostly uniseriate, a few four seriate rays are also present; starch grains simple and compound, with 2 to 3 components, round to oval, 3 to 6 n in dia., having concentric striations and hilum, present in secondary cortex and secondary phoem.
Powder – Brownish-grey; shows fragments of cork cells; simple pitted vessels; stone cells mostly in groups; starch grains simple and compound having 2 to 3 components, round to oval, 3 to 6 n in dia. having concentric striations and hilum.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform: Methanol (80 : 20) shows under U.V. (366 nm) four fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.57, 0.63 (both red), 0.83 (sky blue) and 0.87 (yellow). On exposure to Iodine vapour six spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.27, 0.52, 0.72, 0.87 and 0.93 (all yellow). On spraying with Dragendorff reagent two spots appear at Rf. 0.27 and 0.52 (both orange).
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids (Vasicine and Vasicinol) and Oil.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Hrdya, Kaphahara, Pittahara, Raktasodhaka, Svara, Vivardhaka, Vatakrt
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Cyavanaprasa Avaleha, Kanakasava, Brhata Manjisadi Kvatha Curna, Pancatikta Ghrta
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Chardi, Jvara, Kasa, Krmi, Ksaya, Kustha, Meha, Raktapitta, Trsa, Vata Roga
DOSE – 3-6 gm.
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