Vitex negundo, commonly known as the Chinese chastetree, five-leaved chaste tree, or horseshoe vitex, is a large aromatic shrub with quadrangular, densely whitish, tomentose branchlets. Vitex negundo is an erect shrub or small tree growing from 2 to 8 m in height. The bark is reddish brown. The fruit is a succulent drupe, 4 mm in diameter, rounded to egg-shaped. It is black or purple when ripe.

Nirgundi – Vitex negundo is a very good muscle relaxant, pain relieving, anti mosquito, anti anxiety, anti asthma and so on, herb of Ayurveda. There are very less herbs as multi-talented and versatile as Nirgundi. Used both for external application in the form of paste / oil, and also for oral administration in the form of powder, leaf juice extract or water decoction.

External application:

The leave is made into paste, heated a little and applied externally to relieve headache, orchitis (swelling in testicles), rheumatoid and osteo arthritis.

Water decoction of Nirgundi is used for vaginal douche to relieve local inflammation

Water decoction is used for mouth gargling to relieve throat pain and oral ulcers.

The dry leaves are burnt and fumes are inhaled to relieve headache and running nose.

Its oil is prepared with sesame oil and used in wound healing and grey hairs.