Ashoka tree is a rain forest tree found in Indian subcontinent. Meaning of name ashoka is sorrow less. This tree is found in many areas in India mostly in Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and South India. Ashoka tree is really beautiful tree with green leaves and very attractive red flowers. One can find ashoka tree very easily in Hindu, Buddhist Hindu, Jain Hindu temple gardens. Asoka tree is well described in mythological and ancient Indian Hindu text because this is sacred and full of medicinal property.
Details of Ashoka Tree
Ashoka is an evergreen wild tree still found in Himalayas and across Indian sub-continent. It?s height is about 6-9 meters, leaves 15-25 cm long and green color. In spring season ashoka tree is covered with red color flowers and looks really very beautiful. The fruits are about 6-10 inches long, looks like broad beans containing 6-8 grey color seed like chest nut.
Ashok bark, seed and flower are used in manufacturing medicines.
Most of the people thinks False Ashoka(nettilingam) as saraca asoca but these two are different. False ashoka can not be used for medicine purpose. You can easily differentiate between two variety of the tree easily using the following atribute.
- Ashoka flowers are red(initially orange in color) while False Ashoka flowers are apple green color.
- Ashoka fruits looks like broad beans containing multiple seeds while false ashoka fruits are small spherical and contains only one seeds.
- Ashoka tree are small in length while false ashoka length is higher.
Medicinal chemistry of Saraca indica
By research of ashoka tree by many pharma companies it is found that it contains haematoxylin, tannin, iron, catechol, silica, potassium, magnesium, calcium, glycoside and many more given below.
The bark of the plant presence of epicatechin, procyanidin, deoxyprocyanidin B, catechin, methyl-cholesta, ethycholesta, Dglucoside, leucopelargonidin and leucocyanidin.
The flower part of the plant contain Oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids, 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.
Seed and Pod contains oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids, catechol, epicatechol and leucocyanidin.
Biological and Pharmaceutical property of Saraca asoca
Ashoka leaves, flower and bark has antibacterial properties can be used to cure bacterial infections.
Antimenorrhagic Activity: Saraca asoca dried bark has been used for menorrhagia in India. In India Saraca asoca dried bark as well as flower is given as a tonic to ladies in case of Uterine disorders. Saraca asoca stem bark also used to treat all disorder associated with the menstrual cycle.
Ashoka is an astringent and analgesic agent. Astringent property can be used to treat womb problems along with other medicine.
Anticancer Activity: The anticancer principle from Saraca asoca flowers indicated 50 percent cytotoxicity (in vitro) in Dalton’s lymphoma ascites and Sarcoma-180 tumor cells at a concentration of 38 mug and 54 mug respectively, with no activity against normal lymphocytes but preferential activity for lymphocytes derived from leukaemia patients
Indication of Ashoka in Ayurveda
- Useful in the management of all painful conditions.
- Ashoka improves complexion of the body.
- Ashoka improves digestion and assimilation.
- Ashoka alleviates excessive thirst.
- Ashoka alleviates burning sensation.
- Ashoka kills all infectious agents.
- Ashoka is useful in the management of all edematous conditions.
- Ashoka is useful in toxicities and all blood disease.
- It useful in the management of inflammation of lymph nodes.
- This drug(saraca asoca) can be used to treat wounds, eye disease, insect bite, neurological disorder and fever.
- Ashoka seeds can be used to treat cough.
- Very good to treat uterine disorders and keeps menstruation clear and controls excessive bleeding.
- There is no harm in pregnancy from ashoka( but take only after getting advice from a medical practitioner.
- It cures ulcers, piles, haemorrhoids, menorrhagia, worms, facture of bones.
- It can be used to treat tumors.
Medicine form of Ashoka in Ayurveda
- In ayurveda ashoka can be used externally by making paste on skin to treat wound, infection and to treat any kind of the body pain, etc.
- Can be used by making decoction with water or milk.
- Powder can be taken with honey.
- Rishta can be made using fermentation.
- Many reputed pharma are manufacturing ashoka medicines in forms of Pills, Ashokarishta, Ashokaghrita, etc.by adding other ayurvedic natural herbs, bhasmas, etc.
How to get Ashoka Tree Products
You can get Ashoka bark, flower powder in market and use them by making decoction with milk or water. You can also apply powder on skin problems by making paste.
You can purchase medicines by taking prescription from a doctor from medical shops or online.
You can find a ashoka tree and get bark, flowers, etc. Make sure the tree you find is ashoka tree not false ashoka because false ashoka is very common and cannot be used for medicine purpose described above.
All above properties makes Ashoka a divine tree.