Justicia adhatoda commonly known as Malabar nut, adulsa, adhatoda, vasa, or vasaka, is a medicinal plant native to Asia, widely used in Siddha Medicine, Ayurvedic, homeopathy and Unani systems of medicine. It is a small evergreen plant, of the Acanthaceae family. It has been used in preparation of herbal medicines for the past 2000 years. Yogic practitioners often use this herb to clear their respiratory tracts during the course of breathing exercises. The plant’s range includes Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and China, as well as Panama where it is thought to have been introduced. The whole plant or its roots, leaves, bark and flowers are used in various herbal preparations.
| Name | Malabar nut |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Justicia adhatoda |
| Native | Native to Asia |
| Common/English Name | Malabar nut, adulsa, arusha, vasaka, justicia adhatoda, adulsa arusa, adathodai, bakash, adathoda, adalodakam, adusoge, addasaramu, lion’s muzzle, stallion’s tooth. |
| Name in Other Languages | Chinese: Dà huánhún (大还魂), Yě diàn yè (野靛叶), Yā zuǐ huā (鸭嘴花),Yāzi huā (鸭子花) Danish: Malabarnød English: Adhatoda, Bhaikar, Malabar nut, Malabar-nut-tree, Pavettia, Vasa, Vasaka Finnish: Valkopantterinkita French: Carmantine de Ceylan, Noix de Malabar. German: Malabarnuß India
Indonesian: Adotodai, Basak, Vasaka |
| Plant Growth Habit | Erect much branched, gregarious, evergreen shrub |
| Growing Climate | Grows best in shaded or semi-shaded areas. It requires dry, moistures and tropical forest for better growth |
| Soil | Moist, well-drained soil with reasonable fertility are preferred , though it can withstand some drought. It will not however tolerate water-logging which can cause root-rot which can kill it very quickly. |
| Plant Size | Up to 4 m. |
| Root | 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. |
| Bark | Bark is yellowish in color |
| Stem | Quadrangular to nearly terete, young shoots greyish-pubescent |
| Leaf | Leaves, 10-30 cm long and 3-10 cm broad, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, slightly acuminate, base tapering, petiolate, petioles 2-8 cm long, exstipulite, glabrescent, 8-10 pairs of lateral vein bearing few hairs, dried leaves dull brown above, light greyish brown below, odour, characteristic, taste, bitter. |
| Flower | The flowers are hermahrodite. The corolla are large and white with a funnel shaped lower portion, the lower lip of corolla is streaked purple. |
| Fruit | Fruit is a small capsule stipitate, broadly clavate, c. 2.5 cm long, 4-seeded, pubescent |
| Taste | Bitter |
| Seed | Orbicular, 2-3 mm across, glabrous. |
| Health Benefits |
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