Adhatoda vasica: A critical review

Abstract

Natural products are the most important source for discovery of new and effective drug molecules. The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens and the increase in diseases affecting the immune system have greatly intensified the need to investigate new bioactive metabolites for potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications. Ayurvedic classics have a unique wealth of medicinal plants and vast traditional knowledge of herbal medicine for the cure of various diseases. Adhatoda vasica (Nees) (AV) of family Acanthaceae, is a shrub growing throughout the Indian peninsula. The frequent use of AV has resulted in its inclusion in the WHO manual – The Use of Traditional Medicine in Primary Health Care. Thus, extensive research work has been conducted on the AV. The present article is an endeavor to review the ethanopharmacological evidence of therapeutic uses of AV in nutshell.