Vitex negundo

Classification 

Kingdom - Plantae 

Order - Lamilales 

Family - Verbenaceae

Genus - Vitex 

Species - Vitex negundo L.

Vitex negundo, commonly known as Posotiya in Assamese, is a medium size tree widely used in folk medicine. It is an erect large shrub or small tree growing from 2 to 8 m in height, with grayish bark and quadrangular, densely whitish, tomentose branchlets. This plant is grow in Assam and traditionally use as medicine, vegetables, pesticides etc. Many people use this plant for the purpose of herbal medicine for the treatment of stomach disturbances, skin problems, health tonic etc. Traditionally used by farmers as a storage insecticide and a common insecticide. Plant is used in rituals, religious rites, as an insecticide and as medicine. Leaves, wet or dried, are used in grain storage in India. Used to treat ailments ranging from headache to migraine, skin affections to wounds and swelling, asthmatic pains, male and female sexual and reproductive problems.

Traditional Uses

Use of Vitex negundo has been reported in Charaka Samhita, the most ancient and authorative text book of Ayurveda, Unani and in Chinese traditional medicine systems.

Different parts of the plant have varied uses:

Leaf: anti- inflammatory, analgesic, removes foetid discharges and worms from ulcers, analgesic, antihistaminic property, snake venom neutralizing capacity, hepatoprotective and CNS depressant activities (Muthuswamy et. al., 2012);

Flowers- astringent, febrifuge, anti diarrhoeic; prescribed in liver complaint; Oil- applied to sinus, scrofulous sores.

Fruits -nervine stimulant, emmenagogue and vermifuge;

Seed- antitoxin;

Root- tonic, febrifuge, expectorant and diuretic;

Whole plant- galactagogue, emenagogue, antigastalgic, antiflatulant, antiparasitic and analgesic.