Adhatoda vasica is an evergreen, gregarious, stiff, perennial shrub. The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, entire, hairy, light green above, dark below and leathery; the flowers are large, white with red-or yellow-barred throats and in spikes, with large bracts; the capsules are longitudinally channelled; the seeds globular.

Sedative, expectorant, antispasmodic, anthelmintic.

Therapeutic Monograph
Adhatoda vasica
Shwetavasa

Vasicoline, adhatodine, vasicolinone and anisotine (leaves)

For asthma and intermittent fever; used also as an expectorant in cases of chronic bronchitis and phthisis. On rheumatic joints, as a counter-irritant on inflammatory swellings, on fresh wounds, urticaria and in neuralgia.

Large doses irritate the alimentary canal and cause diarrhoea and vomiting.