Ashoka

THIS PRESENTATION DESCRIBE THE DETAIL INFORMATION OF PLANT ASHOKA, ITS BIOLOGICAL NAME, FAMILY, SOURCE, CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, USES.

1. PRESENTATION ON ASHOKA - Neel Ratnam DIPSAR University of D elhi

2. It is the type of Condensed tannin. Synonyms : The another name is Ashoka , Ashoka bark . Biological source: It is obtained from dried stem bark of the plant Saraca indica Linn . Family: It belongs to the family Leguminosae.

3. What is Condensed tannin? It is also known as CATECHOL TANNIN. They lack sugar in their structures. It do not hydrolysed as it is less soluble in water. On dry distillation they give catechol. Their structures are similar to Flavonoid. It is present in cinnamon, cinchona and tea .

4. Plant of Saraca indica Linn.

5. Geographical Source: It is distributed in South Asia i.e. in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. In India mainly found in central and eastern Himalaya .

6. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION It is found at an altitude of 750m in the Himalayas, Khasi, Garo and Lushai hills. It thrives in shady locations, especially near water in semi-dry to wet areas in tropical and subtropical climates. It is an evergreen tree of height 9m. It can be easily propagated from seeds. It bear dark red colored flowers. The bark is marked by bluish and ash white patches of Lichens. Bark is collected from the plant by making transverse and longitudinal incisions.

7. CULTIVATION

8. Collection by longitudinal incisions method .

9. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS Colour : Outer side is dark brown or almost black with warty surface. Internally, it is reddish-brown with fine longitudinal striation. Odour : None Taste : Astringent and bitter Size : Length is up to 50 cm and thickness is 1 cm. Shape : Occurs in form of channels.

10. dried stem bark of the plant Saraca indica Linn.

11. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS Phloem(cork) and phelloderm form the outer most layers. Cortex shows the presence of stone cells. Sclerenchymatous patches are found in phloem. Medullar rays are multisteriate.

12. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS It contains Condensed tannin(6%) Haemotoxylin Ketosterol(androgenic in nature) Saponin Calcium Iron compounds Glycoside P2 The activity of drug is due to the presence of steroidal component and calcium salt.

13. USES: Uterine tonic and it stimulate the uterus by prolonged and frequent uterine contraction. It is used in uterine bleeding. Useful in menorrhagia. Sedative Oxytocic