Process for the production of vasicine

The present invention relates to an improved process for the production of vasicine of formula (1) from the Adhatoda vasica, said process comprising the steps of: extracting the dried and pulverized leaves with an alcoholic extract at an ambient temperature, concentrating the alcoholic extract to obtain a concentrated extract, treating and stirring extract with an aqueous organic acid for 2-24 hours, extracting the acid solution of with an organic solvent, separating the organic layer and aqueous acidic layer, basifying the aqueous acidic solution with a base, extracting the basified solution with an organic solvent, separating the organic layer, drying and filtering, evaporating the organic layer to obtain an amorphous residue, and treating the amorphous residue with an organic solvent or mixture of organic solvents to obtain vasicine.