Talk:Ashoka
| Section/Chapter | Herb database/Ashoka |
|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Saraca indica Linn. |
| Family | Fabaceae (subfamily Caesalpinioideae) |
| Availability | Available |
| Contributors | Team Dravyaguna |
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre |
| DOI | Awaited |
Saraca indica Linn., popularly known as Ashoka or the Asok Tree, is a small, evergreen, ornamental tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. In Ayurveda, it is highly revered as the premier uterine tonic, analgesic, and Pitta-Kapha pacifying medicine, traditionally indicated for bleeding disorders and gynecological complications.[1]
English Name
Asok Tree
Therapeutic Use
Swelling (Sotha), Burning sensation (Daha), Menorrhagia (Asrugdara), Apachi, Bleeding disorders (Raktadosha)[1]
Other Varieties / Other Botanical names
- Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde (currently accepted name)
- Jonesia asoca Roxb.
- Jonesia confusa Hassk.
- Jonesia pinnata Willd.
- Saraca confusa (Hassk.) Backer
- Saraca indica sensu Bedd., non L.
Identification Characters
- Gandhapushpa – Flowers of Asoka are aromatic.
- Tamrapallava – Tender leaves are coppery red in colour.
- Pindapushpa – Inflorescence is globose.
- Madhupushpa – Plant flowers in Vasanta Ritu (Spring).
- Hemapushpa – Flowers are golden coloured.
Synonyms in Charak Samhita
- Madhupushpa
- Raktapallavaka
- Hemapushpa
- Pindipushpa
- Nata
- Pallavadru
Synonyms in Bhavaprakasha Nighantu
- Ashoka – That which relieves shock or suffering.
- Hemapushpa – Golden yellow flower.
- Vanjula
- Tamrapallava – The tender leaves are coppery reddish in colour.
- Kankeli – The plant bears a pleasant look.
- Pindapushpa – Flowers occur in clusters.
- Gandhapushpa – Flowers have pleasant smell.
- Nata[2]
Ayurvedic Pharmacological Properties
According to classical Ayurvedic pharmacodynamics (Rasa Panchaka), Ashoka has the following properties:[1]
| Sr. No. | Pharmacological Criteria | Properties (Ayurvedic Attributes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taste (Rasa) | Bitter (Tikta), Astringent (Kashaya) |
| 2 | Potency (Veerya) | Cold (Sheeta) |
| 3 | Post-digestion Effect (Vipaka) | Pungent (Katu) |
| 4 | Qualities (Guna) | Light (Laghu), Rough (Ruksha) |
| 5 | Dosha Action (Karma) | Pacifies Kapha and Pitta |
Reference in Charak Samhita and its Actions
Ashoka is prominently documented across multiple therapeutic chapters of the Charaka Samhita:
| Sr. No. | Reference in Charak Samhita | Activity / Formulation / Therapeutic Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 4/9(47) | Vedanasthapana mahakashaya (group of herbs to control pain) |
| 2 | Cha.Sa.Vimana Sthana 8/144 | Kashaya-skandha (astringent group) |
Dose
- Decoction (Kwatha): 20 – 30 ml of the drug.[1]
Important Formulations
As per A.P.I.[1]
- Ashokarishta
- Ashoka Ghrita
Current Availability
Available
- In India: West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Western Ghats (both south and central), the Sahyadri region, and throughout the Himalayas.
- Out of India: Eastern Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
Major Phytoconstituents
The pharmacological activity of Saraca indica (syn. S. asoca) bark is associated with the following classes of secondary metabolites:
- Phenolic compounds and tannins: Proanthocyanidins and flavan-3-ols such as (−)-epicatechin and procyanidin B2.
- Lignan glycosides: Lyoniside, nudiposide, schizandriside and related compounds.
- Sterols and glycosides: β-Sitosterol glucoside, a ketosterol and a crystalline glycosidic constituent have been reported from the bark.
Therapeutic Efficacy & Modern Scientific Research
Modern pharmacological studies have examined several traditional indications of Saraca indica. Each activity below is supported by one primary study. Most of the evidence is preclinical (animal and in vitro models); controlled human clinical trials are lacking.
1. Uterine Activity (Asrugdara / Garbhashaya Roga)
- Traditional Use: Menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea and other uterine disorders.
- Scientific Evidence: Pharmacological studies of Ashoka bark preparations and a purified glycoside fraction on uterine preparations of laboratory animals were carried out to understand its use in gynecological conditions.[3]
2. Anti-estrogenic Activity
- Traditional Use: Excessive uterine bleeding and hormone-related menstrual disorders.
- Scientific Evidence: Methanolic bark extract (600 mg/kg) of Saraca asoca significantly reduced the elevated estrogen levels induced by exogenous estrogen in female Wistar rats.[4]
3. Anti-inflammatory and Anti-arthritic Activity
- Traditional Use: Sotha (swelling) and Daha (burning sensation); a member of the Vedanasthapana group.
- Scientific Evidence: Acetone extract of the seeds (300 and 500 mg/kg, orally for 21 days) reduced paw and ankle-joint oedema, ESR and blood prostaglandin levels in Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, with effect at the higher dose comparable to indomethacin and without gastric damage on histology.[5]
4. Antipyretic Activity
- Traditional Use: Jwara (fever), as a Vedanasthapana drug.
- Scientific Evidence: The seeds were evaluated pharmacognostically, phytochemically and pharmacologically and showed an antipyretic effect in experimental animals.[6]
5. Antimicrobial Activity
- Traditional Use: Wound management and localized infections.
- Scientific Evidence: Methanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem bark were active against a panel of bacteria and fungi (including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans), with MIC ranging from 0.5–2% and 1–3% respectively; the methanolic extract was the most active.[7]
6. Antioxidant Activity
- Traditional Use: General health protection and tissue rejuvenation (extrapolated use).
- Scientific Evidence: Lignan glycosides and flavonoids isolated from the methanol extract of the bark showed free-radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay.[8]
Summary of Therapeutic Profile
| Indication | Extract / Part studied | Primary Pharmacological Action | Level of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uterine disorders (Asrugdara) | Bark preparations, purified glycoside | Uterine activity; anti-estrogenic effect | Preclinical (animal) |
| Pain, inflammation and fever (Sotha / Daha / Jwara) | Seed acetone extract | Anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antipyretic | Preclinical (animal) |
| Microbial infections | Stem bark extracts | Antibacterial, antifungal | In vitro |
| Oxidative stress | Bark lignans and flavonoids | Free-radical scavenging | In vitro |
Safety, Toxicity, and Dosage
- Precautions: Use within therapeutic dosage limits; overuse or unregulated consumption during non-indicated conditions should be avoided.
- Toxicity data (animal): Methanolic bark extract (0.3 and 1.2 g/kg) was well tolerated for 30 days in mice, with an acute oral LD50 of 6.526 g/kg and no significant change in body or organ weights.[9]
- Standard Therapeutic Dosage:
- Bark Decoction (Kwatha): 20–30 ml.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume I:9
- ↑ Shri Bhavamishra, Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Pushpa Varga, Verse no. 47, Edited by Padmashree Prof. Krushnachandra Chunekar, Reprint Edition, Chaukhambha Bharati Academy, 2015.
- ↑ Satyavati GV, Prasad DN, Sen SP, Das PK. Further studies on the uterine activity of Saraca indica Linn. Indian J Med Res. 1970;58(7):947-60.
- ↑ Suhail PT, Joseph S, Ajeesh V, Sreelakshmi SS, Anil K. Antiestrogenic and toxicological evaluation of methanolic extract of Saraca asoca and Cynometra travancorica. J Res Pharm. 2022;26(5):1261-71. doi:10.29228/jrp.218.
- ↑ Gupta M, Sasmal S, Mukherjee A. Therapeutic effects of acetone extract of Saraca asoca seeds on rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis via attenuating inflammatory responses. ISRN Rheumatol. 2014;2014:959687. doi:10.1155/2014/959687.
- ↑ Sasmal S, Majumdar S, Gupta M, Mukherjee A, Mukherjee PK. Pharmacognostical, phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation for the antipyretic effect of the seeds of Saraca asoca Roxb. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012;2(10):782-6. doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(12)60229-9.
- ↑ Sainath RS, Prathiba J, Malathi R. Antimicrobial properties of the stem bark of Saraca indica (Caesalpiniaceae). Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2009;13(5):371-4.
- ↑ Sadhu SK, Khatun A, Phattanawasin P, Ohtsuki T, Ishibashi M. Lignan glycosides and flavonoids from Saraca asoca with antioxidant activity. J Nat Med. 2007;61(4):480-2. doi:10.1007/s11418-007-0182-3.
- ↑ Mukhopadhyay MK, Nath D. Phytochemical screening and toxicity study of Saraca asoca bark methanolic extract. Int J Phytomedicine. 2011;3:498-505.
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