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Justicia adhatoda L. Acanthaceae

Chapter · July 2021

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-57408-6_136

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Justicia adhatoda L.
ACANTHACEAE

Laxmi Raj Joshi, Suneeta Bhatta, Hem Raj Paudel, Ripu M. Kunwar,
Hammand Ahmad Jan, Mehmood Arshad Abbasi,
Rainer W. Bussmann, and Narel Y. Paniagua-Zambrana

L. R. Joshi
Nepal Trust for Nature Conservation, Bardia Conservation Program, Kathmandu, Nepal
S. Bhatta
Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal
H. R. Paudel
National Herbarium and Plant Laboratories, Department of Plant Resources, Godawari, Nepal
R. M. Kunwar
Cultural Geography, Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL,
USA
Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
e-mail: rkunwar@fau.edu
H. A. Jan
Islamia College Peshawar Jamrod Road, University Campus Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan
M. A. Abbasi
Department of Environment Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology,
Abbottabad, Pakistan
R. W. Bussmann (*)
Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State
University, Tbilisi, Georgia
Saving Knowledge, La Paz, Bolivia
e-mail: rainer.bussmann@iliauni.edu.ge
N. Y. Paniagua-Zambrana
Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State
University, Tbilisi, Georgia
Herbario Nacionál de Bolivia, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 1

R. Kunwar et al. (eds.), Ethnobotany of the Himalayas, Ethnobotany of Mountain
Regions, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45597-2_136-1
2 L. R. Joshi et al.

Synonyms

Justicia adhatoda L.: Adhatoda adhatoda (L.) Huth; Adhatoda arborea Raf.;
Adhatoda pubescens Moench; Adhatoda vasica Nees; Adhatoda zeylanica Medik.;
Dianthera latifolia Salisb.; Ecbolium adhatoda (L.) Kuntze; Ecbolium latifolium
(Benth. & Hook.f.) Kuntze; Gendarussa adhadota Steud.; Justicia caracasana
Sieber ex Nees.

Local Names

Justicia adhatoda: Pashto: Bekar ‫ ;ﺏﯼﮎړ‬Nepali: Asuro; Tamang: Vashak; Tharu:

Asur, Darai: Asuro; Raute/Doteli: Wasing; Newari: Aalcha; Urdu: Baikar; China:
Ya-Zui-Hua; Sanskrit: Shwetavasa, Vasa, Vasaka; Hindi: Arusha, Bansa, Baansa,
Adulsa, Basuti; Bengali: Basak; Manipuri: Nongmangkha-agouba; Gujarati:
Alduso; Telugu: Adasaramu; Tamil: Adadodai; Kannada: Adusoge; Malayalam:
Atalotakam,; Bangali: Shada bashok; Thai: Sa niat (Manandhar 1998; Kabir et al.
2014; Singh et al. 2011; Sobia et al. 2018; Ranjitkar 2005; Maneenoon et al. 2015).

Botany and Ecology

Justicia adhatoda: Shrubs to 4 m tall. Branches thickened,  4-angled, lenticellate,

pubescent when young but soon glabrescent. Petiole 0.8–3 cm, puberulent; leaf
blade ovate to elliptic-ovate, 7–18  2–7 cm, abaxially puberulent, adaxially densely
tomentose when young but glabrescent except tomentose along veins, secondary
veins 9–12 on each side of midvein and meeting near margin, base broadly cuneate,
margin entire, apex acuminate and sometimes slightly falcate. Spikes terminal or
axillary, ovoid to broadly ovoid, 3–7 cm; peduncle 3–7 cm; bracts imbricate, ovate-
oblong, 1–2  0.5–1.5 cm, puberulent, 3–7-veined, margin ciliate, apex acute;
bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1–1.4  about 0.4 cm, puberulent, 3–5-veined, margin
ciliate, apex acute. Calyx 5-lobed; lobes linear-oblong, about 10  3 mm, margin
narrowly scarious and ciliate. Corolla white or pink with purplish or pinkish stripes
outside, broadly tubular, 2.5–3 cm, outside pilose; tube basally cylindric and about
5 mm wide for about 5 mm and then slightly inflated and bent upward; upper lip
ovate-oblong, about 1.8 cm, erect, shallowly 2-lobed; lower lip oblong-circular,
spreading, 3-lobed, middle lobe subcircular and about 9  5 mm, lateral lobes
ovate and about 8  4.5 mm. Stamens exserted; filaments about 1.5 cm, declinate,
glabrous except basally sericeous; anther thecae ellipsoid, about 3.5 mm, equal,
superposed, lower one spurred at base. Ovary pubescent especially at tip; style about
2.5 cm, recurved, basal part pubescent; stigma simple. Capsule obovoid,
2.5–4  about 0.5 cm. Seeds circular in outline. Flowering January–March, fruiting
June–July (Wu et al. 1994-2013) (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
Justicia adhatoda L. 3

Fig. 1 Justicia adhatoda (Acanthaceae). Distribution of J. adhatoda in Nepal. Analyses of

herbarium samples deposited in National Herbarium and Plant Laborateris (KATH) has revealed
that the species is so far reported from 24 districts in Nepal as shown in the figure. The actual
collection site is not shown here as most of the herbarium samples lack coordinates

Fig. 2 Justicia adhatoda

(Acanthaceae) Thakurdwara,
Bardia, Nepal. (Photo L. R.
Joshi)
4 L. R. Joshi et al.

Fig. 3 Justicia adhatoda

(Acanthaceae), Pakistan.
(Photo Arshad Mehmood
Abbasi)

Phytochemistry

Justicia adhatoda contains major group of compounds, such as alkaloids, poly-

phenolics, glycosides, and phytosterols. Leaves contain two major alkaloids, i.e.,
vasicinone and vasicine. These alkaloids exhibit antiallergic and antiasthmatic
activity (Sharma and Kumar 2016). Leaves also yield an essential oil and are rich
in carotene and vitamin C (Sobia et al. 2018). Moreover, adhatodic acid, betaine,
fats,and resins are also present in leaves. Roots contain vasicine, vasicinol, and
essential oil. Flowers contain vasicine, vasicinone, and quercitin. Seed contains fatty
oil, linoleic, oleic, and cerotic (Motaleb 2011). Both vasicine and vasicinone possess
sucrose inhibitory activity indicating that they can be explored as natural antidiabetic
agent (Gantait and Panigrahi 2018). The leaves, stems, roots contain essential oils
and have shown antimicrobial activities against different organism (KC and Rao
2008). The phytochemical screening of leaf extract shows the presence of secondary
metabolites such as alkaloid, flavonoids, tannins, and phenol indicating antibacterial
potential of plant (Shahzad et al. 2020). Four quinazoline alkaloids-vasicoline,
adhatodine, vasicolinne, and ansotine from leaves, and one each, i.e. vasicinone
and vasicol have been isolated from inflorescence and leaves, respectively (Sharma
and Kumar 2016). The plant contains rich source of phenolic compounds and
flavonoids which are responsible for strong antioxidant properties that help in
prevention and therapy of various oxidative stress related diseases (Sharma and
Justicia adhatoda L. 5

Fig. 4 Justicia adhatoda

(Acanthaceae) Pakistan.
(Photo Hammand Ahmad Jan)

Kumar 2016). The total carbohydrate and protein content of the plant is 3.45 mg/g
and 5.2 mg/g, respectively (Singh et al. 2011). The total nutritious value of Justicia
adhatoda leaves is 106.00 Cal/100 g (Kumar et al. 2013; Sobia et al. 2018).

Local Medicinal Uses

Justicia adhatoda: Dried leaves powder are used for cough, asthma, tuberculosis,
and indigestion. Fresh leaves paste is given to cattle for diarrhea, dysentery, and gas
trouble (Abbasi et al. 2010). Leaves, bark, and root are used for wounds, leaves
decoction is antispasmodic, expectorant, and powerful abortifacient (Ajaib et al.
2010). Leaves are used for blood purification (detoxifier). The dry powdery leaf is
used for wound healing (Khan et al. 2015). The decoction of leaves is antispasmodic,
expectorant, abortifacient, and also used for curing dysentery in cattle (Jan et al.
2008). Plant is used for rheumatism, pneumonia, cough, used in snakebites, eye and
ear ailments (Ali et al. 2011). Leaf decoction is antispasmodic, expectorant,
arbortifacient, and used in skin diseases and diabetes. Root bark and leaves are
6 L. R. Joshi et al.

Fig. 5 Justicia adhatoda

(Acanthaceae) Pakistan.
(Photo Hammand Ahmad Jan)

used in wound infections (Amjad et al. 2017). Leaves and root of plant are used for
asthma, bronchitis, cough, rheumatism, antispasmodic, and expectorant (Haq et al.
2011). Used as expectorant, antispasmodic tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma,
fresh wounds, inflammatory swellings, neuralgia, headache, stop bleeding from the
nose and anthelmintic (Ahmad Jan et al. 2017). Plant is used for fever, hepatitis,
typhoid, and cough suppressant (Shah et al. 2016). Justicia adhatoda is a well-
known plant in traditional Ayurvedic, Unani, and Siddha medicine system (Sobia
et al. 2018) as well as modern pharmaceutical industries. It is mostly used for treating
diverse respiratory disorders like cold, cough, bronchitis and asthma, pneumonia,
tuberculosis, rheumatism, and anemia from centuries (Ahmad et al. 2016; Claeson
et al. 2000; Maneenoon et al. 2015; Rajbhandary 2001; Sobia et al. 2018). It cures
jaundice, arthritis, blood dysentery, hemorrhage, hemorrhoid, inflammation, tuber-
culosis, and vomiting (Motaleb 2011). The leaf juice is used to cure diarrhea,
dysentery, asthma, skin diseases (Burlakoti and Kunwar 2008), fever, and other
enteric bacteria (Rai 2003; Ranjitkar 2005). Leaves extract of the plant inhibits most
of the snake venom enzymes (Malathi et al. 2019). To treat joint ache during fever
(Manandhar 1993); applied to sprains (Bhattarai and Khadka 2016); to cure cough,
bronchitis, asthma, and to relieve rhematic pain (Joshi 2004); to cure malaria (Kabir
Justicia adhatoda L. 7

et al. 2014; Nagendrappa et al. 2013), for rheumatic pain, bronchitis, cough, fever,
headache, respiratory ailments, and skeleto-muscular (Joshi and Joshi 2000). The
leaves, mixed with roots of Solanum surrattense and fruits of Piper longum to treat
asthma (Savithramma et al. 2007), the leaf juice to relieve intermittent fever
(Manandhar 1998), eliminates sputum, cough, and fever (Maneenoon et al. 2015).
The leaves are bolied and the solution is used for taking bath for curing itching and
stopping bleeding (Raj et al. 2018), used to cure cough, cold, and asthma in Jammu
Kashmir (Rashid et al. 2018). In Western Terai, the decoction of leaves is used to
treat asthma, Juice of fresh leaves along with honey is given as expectorant, inhaled
for sinusitis, used also to treat bronchitis and cough (Bhandary et al. 1995; Bhattarai
and Khadka 2016; Singh et al. 2012), to cure sore throat, skin diseases, diarrhea,
dysentery, and rheumatism (Ahmad et al. 2016; Singh and Huidrom 2013).
A poultice of leaves has been applied to fresh wounds, inflammatory swellings,
and rheumatic joints (Sobia et al. 2018). In India, it has been used to cure paralysis
and allergy (Raj et al. 2018). The root extract is used in cough, liver disorders, and
diabetes, relieves cramps of convulsions and muscular spasms, stimulates contrac-
tion of the uterine muscle, and used to lower the blood pressure (Sobia et al. 2018).
Juice from the leaf and bark is used for treating vomiting and used as an anthelmintic
(Sobia et al. 2018). In Srilanka, it is used for curing menorrhagia and extreme
phelgum (Sobia et al. 2018). Similarly, In Bangladesh, the plant is used by the
healers to treat skin infections (Kabir et al. 2014). In Uttarpradesh, India, about 70%
of women had been reported to consume leaves of J. adhatoda to induce abortion
(Claeson et al. 2000).
In Himanchal Pradesh of India, leaves of Justicia adhatoda are ground along with
the leaves of Vitex negundo, Artemisia nilagirica, Scurrula pulverulenta, and
Murraya koenigii and given to cattle to treat digestive disorders (Thakur et al.
2016). It helps treatment of various aliments of cattle such as appetite loss, boating,
constipation, diarrhea, digestive disorders, joint pain, heat stress, liver and kidney
problems, respiratory disorders, and wounds (Thakur et al. 2016).
Justicia adhatoda has strong inhibitory effect on germination as well as root and
hypocotyls growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (Devkota and Sharma 2014). The
flower has attractive petals streaked with purple on lower lip and used as herbicide to
kill termites, flies, mosquitoes, and other insects (Motaleb 2011).

Local Food Uses

Justicia adhatoda: The use of Justicia adhatoda as a food source has been ill
discovered. Little evidences suggest that the plant is edible in some parts of South
East Asia owing to its health benefits. The leaves and flowers of the plant are cooked
as vegetable in India and Nepal by the Khasi tribe (Sobia et al. 2018). Fruit is
consumed as pickle in case of body-ache by the Darai tribe of Chitwan District,
Nepal (Rajbhandary 2001). The mature leaves and inflorescence of the plant are fried
in mustard oil and eaten by the Meitei community of Manipur, India (Singh and
Huidrom 2013).
8 L. R. Joshi et al.

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