Adusoge (Adathoda vasica)

Adusogge or Adathodai is well known for being the source of the drug Vasaka, which is used in indigenous medicinal systems to treat bronchitis. The Tamil name of this plant, Adatodai enumerates a peculiar character. Goats are known to munch on all plants available and turn out to be a menace at times. But Adhatodai is one of the few plants that they avoid, and hence farmers have used this plant to fence their farms for hundreds of years. The dried leaves of this plant were used to make local cigarettes or beedis and were smoked. Ironically these cigarettes helped cure a number of respiratory disorders, unlike the cigarettes of the modern-day.