Vitex negundo L.
Family: Lamiaceae / Verbenaceae
Synonyms: Agnus-castus negundo (L.) Carrière, Vitex agnus-castus var. negundo (L.), Vitex nogondo Linnaeus ap. Bojer, Vitex trifolia var. foliolis obtuse crenatis Lam.
Common name: Chaste Tree
Arabic : Uslaq
Assami: Aslak
Bengali: Nishinda (নিশিন্দা),
Burmese: kiyubantin
Chinese: 黄荆, mu ching
Filipino: lagundî
Gujarati: Nagod
Hindi: निर्गुंडी Nirgundi, सिंदवार sindvar
Kannada: ಲಕ್ಕಿ ಗಿಡ, lakki gidda, Nochi
Malayalam: കരിനൊച്ചി, Karinochi, Vennocchi
Manipuri: Urik shibi
Marathi: निर्गुंडी
Nepali: सिमाली
Persian : Panchaguskt, Sisban
Philippino: agnocasto
Punjabi: Sambhalu, Banna
Sanskrit: निर्गुण्डि, सिन्धुवार Sinduvara, Indrani, Nila nirgundi
Sinhala: නික, nika
Tagalog: Lagundi
Tamil: Nocchi நொச்சி
Telugu: Vavili వావిలి
Tonga: Lala
Tulu: Nekki
Urdu: Sambhalu, Tukhm sambhalu
Ayurvedic uses: Sula, Sopha, Vatavyadhi, Amavata, Kushta, Kandu, Dasa, Pradara, Adhmana, Piha roga, Gulma, Aruchi, Krimi, Vrana, Nadi vrana, Karna sula, Sutika, Jvara [APC]
Antiinflammatory, analgesic, CNS depressant [MEDICINAL PLANTS by P. P. Joy, J. Thomas, Samuel Mathew, Baby P. Skaria]
Vitex negundo, has been shown to have defi nite anti- testosterone effects in dogs. [CLINICAL BOTANICAL MEDICINE]
Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) abrogates carrageenan- and formaldehyde-induced paw edema, inhibits antihistamine and PG synthesis, and stabilizes membrane and fight oxidation. In China, the flowers are used to treat rheumatic difficulties, colds, cough, angina, and gonorrhea. The leaves are used to calm itchiness of eczematous eruptions. The roots are used to treat colds and rheumatisms, and the stems are used to sooth burns and scalds. An infusion of the stems is drunk to treat headache, dizziness, convulsions of children, cough, mental unrest, and to promote wakefulness. In the Philippines, Vitex negundo L. is used to promote milk secretion and menses. In India, the plant is used to soothe inflammation and to calm itching. The anti-inflammatory property of Vitex negundo L. is confirmed: a water extract of the leaves protects rats against carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, formaldehyde-induced rat paw edema, and hot-plate test. Although there have been many studies on the antiinflammatory properties of the plant, much less work has been done on the psychopharmacological and especially dopaminergic properties of this plant. [Ethnopharmacology of Medicinal Plants Asia and the Pacific]
Activities — Alterative, Analgesic, Antiandrogenic, Antibacterial, Antiedemic, Antiinflammatory, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Antitussive, Astringent, Bronchodilator, Carminative, CNS-Depressant, Demulcent, Detoxicant, Diaphoretic, Discutient, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Hepatoprotective, Insecticide, Lactagogue, Larvicide, Nervine, Sedative, Tonic, Tranquilizer, Vermifuge, Vulnerary .
Indications — Angina, Anxiety, Arthrosis, Asthma, Bacteria, Bite, Boil, Bronchosis, Burn, Cancer, Catarrh, Cholera, Cold, Constipation, Convulsion, Cough, Deafness, Dermatosis, Diarrhea, Dropsy, Dysentery, Dyspepsia, Eczema, Enterosis, Escherichia, Fever, Flu, Fungus, Gas, Gastrosis, Gonorrhea, Gravel, Headache, Hemiplegia, Hemorrhoid, Hepatosis, Hernia, Hiccup, Infection, Inflammation, Insomnia, Jaundice, Leukorrhea, Lumbago, Malaria, Mycosis, Nervousness, Pain, Paralysis, Parasite, Rheumatism, Ringworm, Scabies, Snakebite, Sore, Splenosis, Sprain, Staphylococcus, Stomachache, Swelling, UTI, VD, Vertigo, Water Retention, Worm. [Handbook of Medicinal Herbs]
Cracked feet, Antiseptic, Eczema [HERBAL CURES: TRADITIONAL APPROACH]
Nirgundi (Vitex negundo) is the remedy of choice for external use in ear infections. The juice of the
leaves is mixed with mustard oil and boiled. This medicated oil is dropped into the ear twice daily.
[HERBAL TREATMENT OF CHILDREN]
Seeds—prescribed in spermatorrhoea, and for promoting spermiogenesis (in Unani medicine). Also given as a rejuvenating tonic for retarding old age and for retaining and promoting virility. (in Ayurvedic medicine). Leaf—anti-inflammatory, analgesic; removes foetid discharges and worms from ulcers. Flowers—astringent, febrifuge, antidiarrhoeic; prescribed in liver complaint. Oil— applied to sinus, scrofulous sores. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
In Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, Vitex negundo L. is used to heal wounds, and to treat beri-beri and
paralysis. In China, the plant is used to treat cough, cholera, beri-beri and dropsy, combat fever,
invigorate health, and to treat dysentry. In India, the plant is used to promote digestion, expel intestinal worms, promote hair growth, soothe inflammation, treat asthma, counteract snake-poisoning, invigorate health, and to combat fever. In the Philippines, it is used to promote milk secretion and menses. In India, the plant is used to soothe inflammation and to calm itching. [Medicinal Plants of The Asia-Pacific: Drugs for The Future?]
Medicinal use: Leaves are antiparasitic and used as alterative, vermlguge and anodyne. They very
effectively reduce inflammatory swellings of joints In rheumatic attacks, relieve catarrh and headache. Juice of fresh leaves removes foetid discharges and worms from ulcers. Flowers are astringent and cooling, oil form flowers are applied to sinuses and scrofulous sores. Fruits are nervine stimulant, emmenagogue and vermifuge. Root is tonic, febrifuge,expectorant and diuretic. [Selected Medicinal Plants Of Chittagong Hill Tracts]
Indigestion, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery, menstrual disorders, urinary disorders concerned with men only and muscle cramps. [Medicinal Plants of Myanmar]
Leaves Flu (Make green tea of dried leaves and take 2-3 times a day.) and abdominal discomfort (dry the leaves in shadow and make powder of them and take 2-3g without water twice a day). Following are the compounds isolated from Vitex negundo: β-phellandrene (31.3%), phytol (28.3 %) and β-caryophyllene (12.6%). Were α-caryophyllene (5.1%), caryophyllene oxide (3.6%), α-pinene (3.4%) and bicyclogermacrene. [Medicinal Plants of Sindh by Atta-ur-Rahman, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Saifullah Bullo]
The leaves are used as a vulnerary. An oil prepared with the juice of the leaves is applied to sinuses
and scrofulous sores with beneficial results. A decoction of the leaves is taken internally for flatulence. Externally, the leaves reduce inflammatory and rheumatic swellings in joints and swellings in the testes due to gonorrhoea. A pillow stuffed with the leaves is said to cure headache and catarrh. The leaves, roots and bark are used in snake-bite cures. The expressed fresh juice is given internally and poured into the nostrils for cases of stupor or coma. The bruised bark and leaves are applied on tarantula bites. The roots are used foe many ailments such as coughs, asthma, fever, etc., and on scrofulous ulcers. A tincture of the root is administered for irritation of the bladder and rheumatism. [Medicinal Plants Part-5 (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon]
Lagundi is ccmmonly used for wounds, fever, stomach ache and dysmenorrhea. Seeds boiled in water are believed to prevent the spread of toxins from poisonous bites of animals. Some farmers use fresh lagundi leaves with their rice and corn as an effective repellant to insects. The plant contains alkaloids (one, nishindine, has been characterized), tannin and volatile oil. Clinicai trials have established lagundi to be antipyretic and antitussive. Researchers from the Philippine General Hospital, report that lagundi has had favorable effects even in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including those who were not responding to other drugs. Changes in sputum quality were also noted, indicating that lagundi has anti-infective properties.
An earlier local study on experimental animals reports tnat lagundi extracts stimulated bronchial secretions. In China, lagundi is used for respiratory ailments, particularly chronic bronchitis. Lagundi’s elYectivity has been so well established that the Chinese now extract its volatile oil for processing into tablets, syrups, injections and aerosols. [Philippine Medicinal Plants in Common Use: Their Phytochemistry & Pharmacology]
An astringent, sedative; for cholera, eczema, gravel, anxiety, convulsions, cough, headache, vertigo.
Chemical constituents: Essential oil, phenolic, aucubin, cineol acid, pinene acid, dipentene, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, camphene, delta-3- carene, tannic acid, nishindine, hydrocotylene, glucononitol, hydroxybenzoic acid, iridoidglycoside-nishindaside, negundoside, agnuside, casticin, orientin, isoorientin [Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants Phytopharmacology and Therapeutic Values]
231 Published articles of Vitex negundo L.
