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Medicinal Plant details |
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Information |
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| Sanskrit Name |
Asokah, Gatasokah (WOA, 1998). |
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| Common name in English |
Ashoka. |
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| Botanical Name |
Saraca indica L. |
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| Etymology |
Hempuspa: Red colour of the flowers.
Pindipuspa: Flowers are clustered in to an inflorescence.
Ramavamanghari: Ghatakah-Asoka lowers profusely (Biswas et al., 1972).
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| Parts Used |
Flowers, barks, leaves and seeds.
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| Human Medicinal Usage |
The bark is bitter, sweet, refrigerant, anthelmintic, febrifuge and demulcent. It is effective against dyspepsia, fever, dipsia, colic, ulcers menorrhagia, metropathy, leucorrhoea and pimples. The leaves are depurative and the juice mixed with cumin seeds is used for treating stomachalgia. The flowers are considered to be a uterine tonic and are used to alleviate vitiated conditions of Pitta, syphilis, cervical adenitis, burning sensation, dysentery, scabies in children and inflammations. The dry flowers are used in treating diabetes, haemorrhage and dysentery. Seeds are used for treating bone fractures, strangury and vesicle calculi (Kirtikar & Basu, 1935; Anonymous, 1948-1976; Pal et al., 1985).
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| Synonyms |
Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde |
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| Family |
Caesalpiniaceae
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| Description |
A medium sized evergreen tree, up to 9 m in height, with numerous spreading and drooping glabrous branches; bark dark brown to grey or black with a warty surface, fresh cut ends pale yellowish red. Leaves: pinnately compound; leaflets 2-3 pairs, lanceolate. Flowers: orange, in corymbs, very fragrant. Fruits: pods flat, black, leathery, compressed. Seeds: 4-8 per pod, compressed, ellipsoid or oblong (WOA, 1998). |
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| Common Name in India |
Asoka, Asok (Hindi); Ashoka (Gujarati); Asokam (Malayalam); Asogam (Tamil); Asokamu, Vanjalamu (Telugu); Asokada, Kengalimara, Aksunkara (Kannad) (WOA, 1998).
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| Habitat |
It is found throughout India in evergreen forests, up to elevation about 750 m (WOA, 1998). |
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| Rainfall |
Moderate to high rainfall is necessary for better growth. |
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| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
Silt or loamy soils with pH. 5.5-8.0 is required (WOA, 1998).
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| Regional Distribution |
It is found throughout India particularly in Central and Eastern Himalayas ascending to 2000 ft. In Kumaon, East Bengal, Khasi hills, Chittagong and Aracan hills, Orissa, Konkan, Mysore and Southwards to Travancore (WOA, 1998).
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| Global Distribution |
It is widely distributed throughout the world.
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| Chemical composition |
Beta-Sitosterol, quercetin, kaempferol -3-O-beta-D-glucoside and apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside are isolated from flowers. Wax obtained from bark contained n-alkanes (C 20-C 35), esters (C 34-C 60) and primary alcohols (C 20-C 30). n-octacosanol is also isolated. Four anthocyanin pigments are isolated from flowers: two of these identified as pelargonidin-3, 5-diglucoside and cyanidin-3, 5-diglucoside. 24-methylcholest-5-en -3 beta-ol (1.5), (22E)-24-ethycholesta-5, 22-dien-3beta-ol (22.1) and 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3beta-ol (75.9%) are isolated from bark. Palmitic, stearic, linoleic and linolenic acids are found in fixed oil of flowers. Beta- and gamma- sitosterols are also isolated (Sen, 1963; Ray et al., 1981).
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REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
The useful plants of india. |
The useful plants of india |
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new delhi india |
page-549-550 |
1986 |
c.s.i.r |
publications and imformations directorate |
| 2 |
Pharmacognosy of ayurvedic drugs of Travan core-cochin. |
Pharmacognosy of ayurvedic drugs of travan core- cochin |
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trivandrum |
page-221 |
1951 |
central research institute |
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| 3 |
The wealth of india |
The wealth of india |
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new delhi india |
vol-9 page-232-234 |
1952 |
c.s.i.r |
A dictionary of indian raw materials and industrial products |
| 4 |
Glossary of indian medicinal plants. |
Glossary of indian medicinal plants |
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new delhi india |
series-1 vol-4 page-1-7 |
1956 |
c.s.i.r |
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| 5 |
Kirtikar, KR, Basu, BD. |
Indian medicinal plants |
Kirtikar, KR, Basu, BD. |
Dehra Dun. |
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1935 |
International Book Distributors, |
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| 6 |
Quarterly Journal of Crude Drug Research. |
Pharmacognostic study of the bark of Saraca indica. |
Ray, N, Datta, PC. |
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19(2/3): 97-102. |
1981 |
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| 7 |
IJHS. |
A'soka (Saraca indica Linn.) - A cultural and scientific evaluation. |
Biswas, TK, Debnath, PK. |
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7(2): 99-114. |
1972. |
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| 8 |
Current Science. |
Chemical study of the indigenous plant Saraca indica (asoka). |
Sen, SP. |
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32: 502. |
1963. |
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| 9 |
Indian Drugs Pharmac. Ind. |
Efficacy of seed extracts of Saraca indica against some dermatophytic fungi. |
Singh, KV, Bhatt, SK. |
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15(1): 39-40. |
1980. |
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| 10 |
IJMR. |
Antibacterial activity of flowers and flower buds of Saraca indica L. |
Pal, SC, Maiti, AP, Chatterjee, BP, Nandy, A. |
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82: 188-189. |
1985. |
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| 11 |
Nadkarni, AK. |
Indian Materia and Medica. |
Nadkarni, AK. |
Bombay, India. |
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1954 |
Popular Prakashan, |
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| 12 |
Ind J Pharma Sci. |
Potential anticancer activity of Saraca indica extracts towards transplantable tumours in mice. |
Varghese, CD. |
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54(1): 37-40. |
1992. |
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| 13 |
WOA |
The Wealth of Asia |
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New Delhi |
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1998 |
National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR |
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| 14 |
WOA |
The Wealth of Asia |
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New Delhi |
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1998 |
National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR |
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