Adhatoda vasica Nees, belong to the family Acanthaceae. It is an evergreen gregarious shrub 48-96 cm in height with a fetid smell. The plants are commonly distributed in Karachi, Sind, North Waziristan, Khyber and Kurram Agencies, Dir, Chitral, Swat, Lower Hazara, Rawalpindi and Jhelum district upto an elevation of 1200 meters (3).
The plant is much valued for its powerful expectorant and anti-spasmodic properties. Leaves are used in asthma, chronic bronchitis and all kinds of coughs. The powdered leaves are used in malarial fevers, dysentery and diarrhoea. The boijed leaves infusion is useful for tuberculosis and rheumatic joints (1).
Adhatoda vasica locally known as Berg-e-Bansa is extensively used in Unani and Ayurvedic systems of medicines from time immemorial. Recent survey carried out by the Medicinal Plant Branch, Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar has revealed that large quantities of this drug can be collected easily from the above mentioned areas. The seeds are a good source of an essential oil, which constitutes about 22 per cent of the total weight. Pharmacognostic studies were carried out on Adhatoda vasica plants in order to identify, evaluate the distinguishing macroscopical and microscopical characters of the crude drug. Results achieved during this study are presented in this paper.