For D. Pharmacy students. Anti-tussive - Vasaka, Tolu Balsam & Peru Balsam.

1. ANTI-TUSSIVE
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P r e p a r e d B y : M s . D i v y a K a n o j i y a
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r i n P h a r m a c o g n o s y
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h a r m a c y, S u m a n d e e p V i d y a p e e t h
D e e m e d t o b e U n i v e r s i t y, P i p a r i a , Va d o d a r a .

2. Content:
 B I O LO G I C A L
S O U R C E ,
C H E M I C A L
C O N ST I T U E N T S
A N D
T H E R A P E U T I C
E F F I C AC Y O F
T H E FO L LO W I N G
C AT EG O R Y O F
C R U D E D R U G S :
• VASAKA
• TOLU BALSAM
• PERU BALSAM
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3. VASAKA
Synonym: Ardusi, Aduso, Adusa, Atarusa, Arusa, Folia vasaka
Biological source: It is constist of fresh or dried leaves of Adhatoda vasica Nees.,
belonging to family Acanthaceae.
Geographical source: The plant is distributed all over the plains of India and in the lower
Himalayan ranges, ascending to a height of 1,500 m.
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Figure: Vasakaleaf

4. Morphology:
Size: The leaves are 10-30 cm long,
and 3-10 cm broad.
Shape: Lanceolate – ovate
lanceolate
Colour: Green in colour
Odour: Characteristic
Taste: Bitter
Apex: Acuminate
Base: Tapering
Margin: Crenate to entire margin
Petiole: 2-8 cm long
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5. Microscopy:
LAMINA
Upper epidermis:
Single layered, cells more or less rectangular with outer walls cuticularized. Both covering
and glandular trichomes emerge from the upper epidermal cells. Covering trichomes are
2 to 4 celled, bent, thick walled and pointed. Glandular trichomes are sessile with
quadricellular heads.
Mesophyll:
It is differentiated, being a dorsiventral leaf, into upper palisade layer and lower spongy
parenchyma. A few cystoliths (seen when mounted in water) and vascular strands can be
seen in the mesophyll tissue.
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6. Palisade: 2 layered, compact and individual cells radially elongated.
Spongy parenchyma: 4 to 6 layered, loosely arranged with intercellular spaces.
Lower epidermis: resembles the upper epidermis but for the presence of more
number of trichomes and stomatal pores.
MIDRIB
The upper and lower epidermal layers of lamina are continuous over the midrib.
However, relatively more trichomes appear on the epidermal layers of the midrib.
A 2 to 4 layered collenchyma can be clearly seen below the upper and above the lower
epidermis. The rest of the midrib is occupied by the cortical parenchyma with the
vascular bundle embedded in the middle.
A few cystoliths can be seen in the cortical parenchyma. Vascular bundle is arc shaped,
collateral with xylem towards upper epidermis and phloem towards lower epidermis.
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7. T. S of Vasaka leaf
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8. Chemical constituents:
1. Vasaka contains several alkaloids but
the major ones include
pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids vasicine
about 1.3% accompanied by
vasicinol, vasicinone and adhatonine.
2. Aliphatic hydroketones such as 37-
hydroxy hexateracont-1-en-5-one and
37-hydroxy hentetracontan 19-one
have also been reported from vasaka.
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9. Uses:
1. The leaf extract has been used for treatment of bronchitis and asthma for
many centuries. It relieves cough and breathlessness.
2. It is also prescribed commonly in ayurveda for bleeding due to idiopathic
thrombocytopenic purpura, local bleeding due to peptic ulcer, piles,
menorrhagia etc. Large doses of fresh juice of leaves have been used in
tuberculosis.
3. Its local use gives relief in pyorrhoea and in bleeding gums.
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10. Marketed Products:
1. It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as Vasavaleha
(Dabur), Kasamrit Herbal (Baidyanath) and Vasaka capsule (Himalaya
Drug Company).
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T O L U B A L S A M & P E R U B A L S A M
Figure: Tolu Balsam Figure: Peru Balsam

12. TOLU BALSAM PERU BALSAM
Synonym Balsam of Tolu; Thomas balsam;
opobalsam; resin tolu; balsam of tolu;
balsamum tolutanum.
Peruvian Balsam; Indian Balsam; China oil;
Black Balsam; Honduras Balsam; Surnam
Balsam; Peru Balsam; Balsamum peruvianum.
Biological
source
Tolu Balsam is obtained by incision of
stem of Myroxylon balsamum (L.)
Harms., belonging to family
Papilionaceae.
Peru balsam is obtained by incision of the
stem of Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae
(Royle) Klotsch at high temperature, belonging
to family Papilionaceae.
Geographi
cal source
The plant is most widely found in
Colombia, Venezuela, Central America
(San Salvador), in forests near Pacific
coast and cultivated in West Indies,
Cuba, Florida, and Sri Lanka.
The plant grows in Colombia (near lower
Magdalena and Canca rivers), West Indies,
Cuba, Venezuela, and Peru. The trees are
cultivated in the West Indies.
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13. Characteristics Tolu Balsam occurs as soft,
yellowish-brown or brown,
semisolid, or plastic solid,
transparent in thin layers, brittle
when old, dried or kept in cold,
odour aromatic, and taste is
aromatic, vanilla-like, and slightly
pungent.
Fresh Peru Balsam is a soft, yellow, viscous
syrupy liquid, or semisolid. On keeping it
becomes dark brown, or nearly black,
brittle solid. It softens on heating in which
crystals of cinnamic acid may be visible
under microscope, it does not stick, has an
empyreumatic, aromatic, vanilla-like
odour, and a bitter, acrid, persistent taste.
Solubility It is insoluble in water and
petroleum ether; soluble in alcohol,
benzene, chloroform, ether, glacial
acetic acid, and partially soluble in
carbon disulphide and NaOH
solution. On keeping it turns to a
brown, brittle solid. It softens on
warming.
It is insoluble in water and olive oil but
soluble in alcohol, chloroform, and glacial
acetic acid, usually with a slight
opalescense.
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Chemical test 1. Alcoholic solution of Balsam
Tolu (1 g) gives green colour
with ferric chloride due to
toluresinotannols.
2. Alcoholic solution of Balsam
Tolu is acidic to litmus paper.
3. To filtered solution of Balsam
Tolu (1 g) in water (5 ml)
aqueous potassium permanga
nate solution is added and
heated for 5–10 min. Odour of
benzaldehyde is produced due
to oxidation of cinnamic acid.
1. Its alcoholic solution gives green
colour with ferric chloride.
2. 2. TLC of its ethyl acetate shows two
main spots of benzylic esters under UV
light.
3. 3. TLC sprayed with phosphomolybdic
acid shows the presence of nerolidol.
4. 4. It reacts with potassium
permanganate to yield benzaldehyde.

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Chemical
constituents
Tolu Balsam contains resin (80%)
which is a mixture of resin alcohols
combined with cinnamic and
benzoic acids.
The aromatic acids are also present
in free state in proportions 8–15%.
The other constituents reported in
the drug are benzyl benzoate,
benzyl cinnamate, vanillin, styrene,
eugenol, ferulic acid, 1,2-
diphenylethane (bibenzyl), mono
and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons,
alcohols, and triterpenoids. Tolu
Balsam contains 35 to 50% of total
balsamic acids calculated on the dry
alcohol-soluble matter.
The drug contains balsamic esters (45–
70%) like benzyl cinnamate (cinnamein),
(50–60%), benzyl benzoate, and cinnamyl
cinnamate (styracin), resin (28%)
consisting of peruresinotannol combined
with cinnamic and benzoic acids, alcohols
[nerolidol (peruviol), farnesol, and benzyl
alcohol], and small amounts of vanillin and
free cinnamic acid.

16. Uses Balsam of Tolu is used as an
expectorant, stimulant, and
antiseptic. It is an ingredient of
cough mixtures and compound
benzoin tincture. It is also used
as a pleasant flavouring agent in
medicinal syrups, confectionery,
chewing gums, and perfumery.
Peru Balsam is used as miticide, to aid in
healing of indolent wounds, as scabicide and
parasiticide, in skin catarrh, diarrhoea, ulcer
therapy, as local protectant, and
rubefacient. It is an antiseptic and vulnerary
and as a stimulating expectorant. It is also
employed in perfumery and some chocolate
flavourings, also in making of odours.
Adulterants Balsam of Tolu is mainly adulterated with colophony and exhausted tolu
balsam. In exhausted tolu balsam, the cinnamic acid is removed previously by
heating. The adulterant can be identified by heating it with water and observing
under microscope; crystals of cinnamic acid are not seen.
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