Vasa

Malabar nut (E), Vasaka (H), Adusa (H):

Vasa means 'perfume' and is a common evergreen perennial shrub growing all over the plains of India and Sri Lanka. It is a powerful bronchodilator and expectorant for use in respiratory conditions with high kapha and pitta.

Lungs It is a specific for respiratory congestion and wheezing. As a powerful bronchodilator it eases breathlessness and bronchospasm. It clears inflammatory pitta heat and liquefies congestive kapha. It can be used where there is inflammation from an allergic response as it clears the lungs and nostrils. Its diaphoretic properties act on rasa dhatu and can be utilised in fevers to clear ama and displaced pitta. As it disperses stagnation and strongly scatters prana vayu it can aggravate vata. Blood It is eulogised in the Sanskrit literature for stopping bleeding (raktastambhana). Its effect on raktapitta is to astringe the mucous membranes and it is effective in bleeding from ulcers, menorrhagia, epistaxis and the gingivitis with high pitta. Skin Its ability to clear heat from rakta dhatu and cool bhrajaka pitta make it a useful herb for inflammatory skin diseases with a pitta–kapha pathology. Its mild diaphoretic action can help to clear kapha toxins trapped in rasa dhatu. Gynaecology Its astringency causes contraction of the uterus. This can be useful in bleeding and prolapse. Its oxytocic properties make it useful as a parturient to facilite labour but it should not be used at any other stage during pregnancy. Heart Vasa stimulates the vagus nerve and causes vasodilation of the capillaries. This can help to increase the contractile ability of the heart and also lower blood pressure.