it contain quinazoline derivatives such as vasicine,vasicione and 6–hydroxyl vasicine.biochemically,vasicine is oxidised to its ketonic derivative vasicinone and the latter exerts main activity as bronchodilator.the drug also contains volatile oil ,betain and vasatin, adhatodic acid.

Vasaka is used as expectorant and bronchodilator. The large doses are irritant and cause vomitting and diarrhoea. The pharmacological investigations have shown that vasicine also shows oxytocic property similar to oxytocine and methyl ergometrine. Vasicine also shows abortificient action and both the actions are due to release of prostaglandins. Bromhexine HCL is a synthetic derivative of vasicine which changes the structure of bronchial secretions and reduces viscosity of sputum.