ASHOKA Ashoka tree is useful to manage female disorders.

Ashoka
Saraca asoca
Ashoka is a medium-sized, evergreen tree with beautiful fragrant flowers.
Leaves are alternate, paripinnate, copper red when young and green when mature, and 30–60 cm long.
Bark on old stems is dark green in colour, often marked by bluish and ash white patches of lichens.

1. ASSIGNMENT AB 223 DRAVYA GUNA ASHOKA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

2. NAME : DEVIKA M ENROL.NO : 21/72/BA/004 REG. NO : 210810066797 4 TH SEMESETER BSc AYURVEDA BIOLOGY

3. ASHOKA Botanical Name : Saraca asoca Family : Fabaceae Useful parts : Ashoka bark Ashoka flowers Ashoka seeds

4. Morphology Ashoka is a medium-sized, evergreen tree with beautiful fragrant flowers. Leaves are alternate, paripinnate, copper red when young and green when mature, and 30–60 cm long. Bark on old stems is dark green in colour , often marked by bluish and ash white patches of lichens. Leaves- Leaves of Ashoka tree are 15-20 cm long, compound leaves, rachis glabrous, corky at the base, petioles very short, stipules are interpetiolar, completely united. Leaflets-Leaflets of the Ashoka tree are 4-6 in pairs, 10-20 cm long and 4-7 cm wide, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, or acute, glabrous, base rounded, or cuneate, slightly oblique, petioles 4-6 mm long, stout, wrinkled. Inflorescence- The inflorescence of the Ashoka tree is Axillary corymb.

5. Flowers- Flowers in the Ashoka tree are numerous, fragrant, 7.5-10 cm across, peduncles stout, pedicels 8-13 mm long, red, glabrous, bracts ovate, subacute, bracteoles 2, appearing like a calyx, 4 mm long, calyx passing from yellow to orange and finally red. Tube 1.3-2 cm long, ylindrical , solid at the base, segments 4, oblong or obovate-oblong. 1 cm long. Stamens 7 or 8 ovaries are pubescent. Fruit- The fruit of the Ashoka tree is in pod shape, black, 10-25 cm long, 45-5 cm wide,linear -oblong, tapering to both ends compressed, and glabrousSeeds-4-8, ellipsoid-oblong, 3-8 cm long, slightly compressed. Flowering and fruiting time: Flowering occurs from March to April and fruiting occurs between August to September.

6. Ashoka leaf Dark green, alternate, paripinnate compound , stipulate, large and spreading horizontally , 3-6 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. Ashoka bark Smooth with transversely ridged and circular lenticels, dark green to greenish gray .

7. Ashoka flower Fragrant flowers are orange or orange yellow in colour . Fruit is a four to eight seeded, flat and black coloured , leathery pod. The pod is dehiscent, woody, and tapering at both ends. Seeds are ellipsoid–oblong and compressed. Flowering and fruiting occur from July to October.

8. Types Saraca asoca , native to South Asia and western Myanmar. Saraca indica, native to eastern Myanmar and Southeast Asia. Polyalthia longifolia The commonly used adulterant is the bark of  Polyalthia longifolia  which shows some similarity with that of asoka . It is sometimes called the "false ashoka “ Shala Shorea robusta Shala is the common substitute for Ashoka

9. Rasapanchaka RASA KASHAYA, TIKTA GUNA LAGHU, RUKSHA VEERYA SHEETA VIPAKA KATU PRABHAVA KAPHA PITTA HARA

10. Karma Hridya Visagna Grahi Varnya Daha shamaka Krimighana Trishnahara Stambhaka Sandhaniya

11. INDICATIONS Pradara Yonivyapata Daha Krimi Vrana Trishna Shosha Apachi Arsha Visha Roga Gulma Udara Shoola Aadhmana Vaivarnya

12. Amayika prayoga Pradara ( Meno- metrorrhagia) – Cold milk boiled with the decoction of Ashoka bark is given in Pradara Vrinda Madhava 63/5 Mutraghata ( Supression of urine ) and Ashmari ( Vesical calculi ) – Ashoka seed taken with watert alleviates suppression of urine and calculus Chakra Dutta 33/12 Vatavyadh ( Vataja disorder ) – Susruta prescribes Ashoka ghrita like tilvaka ghrita in vata vyadhi - Susrutha Samhita – Chikitsa sthana 4/27

13. MATRA Kwatha / decoction – 50-100 mL Beeja Churna / seed powder – 3-6 g Pushpa Churna / flower powder – 1-3 g

14. SPECIFIC FORMULATION OF ASHOKA Ashoka arishta for asrigdara and raktapitta Ashoka ghrita for pradara , yonishool , katishool Ashoka Kashaya for swarasada Madhukadya avaleha for pradara , raktatisara , rakta arsha Maha marichadya taila for kushta

15. PHYTOCHEMISTRY BARK - The bark of Ashoka tree contains catechol, tannins, epicatechin, catechin, ketosterol , saponin, hematoxylin , saponin etc FLOWERS - Beta-sitosterol, Quercetins, Gallic acids, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Oleic acid and Linoleic acids PODS - Catechol, Epicatechol , Leucocyanidin SEEDS – Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic and Stearic acids.

16. Recent research on Ashoka Saraca asoca methanol extract was capable of ameliorating the conditions of arthritis in adjuvant- induced arthritic rats. Saravanan S, Babu NP, Pandikumar P, Ignacimuthu S. Therapeutic effect of Saraca asoca ( Roxb .) Wilde on lysosomal enzymes and collagen metabolism in adjuvant-induced arthritis. Inflammatory Pharmacology. 2011 Dec;19(6):317-25. Epub 2011 Sep 23 Flavonoids of Saraca asoca showed chemopreventive activity on 2-stage skin carcinogenesis. Cibin TR. Devi DG, Abraham A. Chemoprevention of Two-stage Skin Cancer in Vivo by Saraca asoca . Inter Cancer Ther . 2011 Jul 19.

17. The phytochemical analysis of the promising methanolic extract of the seed extract was positive for carbohydrates, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, and proteins. Bioassay-guided fractionation of effective extracts may result in the identification of a useful molecule for the control of mosquito vectors Mathew N, Anitha MG, Bala TS, Sivakumar SM, Narmadha R, Kalyanasundaram M. Larvicidal activity of Saraca indica, Nyctanthes arbor -tristis, and Clitoria ternate extracts against three mosquito vector species. Parasite Res. 2009 Apr: 104(5):1017-25. Epub  2008 Nov 28.

18. Extracts of Saraca asoca contain antibacterial agents. Shahid M, Shahzad A, Malik A, Anis M. Antibacterial activity of aerial parts as well as in vitro raised Calli of the medicinal plant Saraca asoca ( Roxb .) de Wilde Can J Microbiol . 2007 Jan; 53 (1): 75-81 Anti-inflammatory flavanol glycosides from Saraca asoca bark. Ahmad F, Misra L, Tewari R, Gupta P, Mishra P, Shukla. Epub 2015 Mar 23.