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Ashoka
Common Name:
Ashoka (Eng.)
Sanskrit Name:
Ashoka- Means without sorrow i.e. it makes a person sorrow less specially the females and for females, discomfort of menstruation is the greatest sorrow and Ashoka works on it
Hemapushpa- As its flowers are of golden yellow color
Tamrapallava- As its leaves are having the color of copper
Lt. Name:
Saraca asoca- Leguminosae
Bio energetics:
Rasa (Taste)- Kashaya (Astringent); Tikta (Bitter)
Guna (Characteristics)- Laghu (Light); Ruksha (Rough)
Veerya (Potency)- Sheeta (Cool and calm)
Vipaka (Post digestion effect)- Katu (Pungent)
Prabhava (Special action on human physiology for which we have no explanation how it works so)- Vedana sthapana (Useful in management of all painful conditions including spasmodic and congestive pain of dysmenorrhoea)
Effect of Tridosha (Three bio humors):
Pacifies Kapha and Pitta i.e. it is useful in management of all diseases resulting from the aggravation of Kapha and Pitta.
Chemical constituents:
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From Whole Plant: Glycosidic principles, non-phenolic, sapogenetic glycoside, sterols and aliphatic alcohols.
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From Bark: (-) epicatechin, procyanidin p2, 11'-deoxyprocyanidin B, (+) catechin, (24, £)- 24- methyl- cholesta-5-en-3p-ol (22 E, 21£)-24-ethycholesta-5, 22 dien-33-ol, (24 £)-24- ethylcholesta-5-en-3-p-ol, leucopelargonidin-3-O-p-D-glucoside, leucopelargonidin and leucocyanidin.
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From Flowers: oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids (seeds); P-sitosterol, quercetin, kaempferol- 3-0-P-D- glucoside, quercetin- 3-0-P-D-glucoside, apigenin- 7-0-p-D-glucoside, pelargonidin- 3, 5- diglucoside, cyanidin-3, 5- diglucoside, palmitic, stearic, linolenic, linoleic, p and y sitosterols, leucocyanidin and gallic acid.
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From Pods: catechol, (-) epicatechol and leucocyanidin
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From Wood: quercetin
Pharmacological activities:
Spasmogenic, oxytocic, uterotonic, antibacterial, anti-implantation, antitumour, antiprogestational, antioestrogenic, activity against menorrhagia and anticancer.
Actions according to Ayurveda:
Vedana sthapana- Useful in management of all painful conditions
Grahi- Improves digestion and assimilation so the person passes stool with normal consistency
Varnya- Improves complexion of the body
Asrigdara nashanam- Valued highly in management of excessive bleeding during menstruation
Shoshajit- Useful in management of emaciation and under nutrition conditions
Apachijit- Useful in management of inflammation of lymph nodes
Trishanashnam- Alleviates excessive thirst
Daha shamanam- Alleviates burning sensation
Krimighna- Kills all infectious agents
Shothajit- Useful in management of all edematous conditions
Vish asrajit- Useful in toxicities and management of all diseases which originate from blood
Medicinal value:
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The bark of Saraca asoca contains the estrogenic compound ketosterol, which is effective against menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids and internal hemorrhoids and also enhances the restoration of the endometrium and stops bleeding.
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Investigations were carried out on bark extracts of Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Willde for in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae 4 mg/ml using agar well diffusion method. The ethanol and distilled water extracts showed significant broad spectrum antibacterial activity.
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The bark is reported to have a stimulating effect on the endometrium and ovarian tissue and is useful in menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids, in leucorrhea and in internal bleeding. It is useful in all cases of uterine bleeding where ergot is indicated.
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The anticancer principle from Saraca asocaflowers indicated 50 percent cytotoxicity (in vitro) in Dalton's lymphoma ascites and Sarcoma-180 tumour cells at a concentration of 38 mug and 54 mug respectively, with no activity against normal lymphocytes but preferential activity for lymphocytes derived from leukemia patients (ALL). Tritiated thymidine incorporation studies in dicate the mechanism of action of the agent at the site of DNA synthesis.
Useful part:
Bark; Seeds; Flowers
Doses:
Powder- 3-6gm; Decoction-50 ml
Some useful combinations of Ashoka:
Ashokarishta; Ashoka ghruta
Some special notes:
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The womenfolk of Chhattisgarh boil the bark in cow's milk, add sugar and consume it once a day for three days and repeat the course after three months to prevent gynaecological disorders.
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In india married Hindu women eat the flower buds of Saraca asoca on the "Ashok Shasthi day" to guard their children against grief and sorrow.
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The tree is regarded as a symbol of love and is dedicated to Kama Deva, who is known to kindle passion and love in the human heart.
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