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Medicinal Plant details

 More Information
 
Sanskrit Name Asokah, Gatasokah (WOA, 1998).
 
Common name in English Ashoka.
 
Botanical Name Saraca indica L.
 
Etymology Hempuspa: Red colour of the flowers. Pindipuspa: Flowers are clustered in to an inflorescence. Ramavamanghari: Ghatakah-Asoka lowers profusely (Biswas et al., 1972).
 
Parts Used Flowers, barks, leaves and seeds.
 
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).
 
Synonyms Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde
 
Family Caesalpiniaceae
 
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).
 
Common Name in India Asoka, Asok (Hindi); Ashoka (Gujarati); Asokam (Malayalam); Asogam (Tamil); Asokamu, Vanjalamu (Telugu); Asokada, Kengalimara, Aksunkara (Kannad) (WOA, 1998).
 
Habitat It is found throughout India in evergreen forests, up to elevation about 750 m (WOA, 1998).
 
Rainfall Moderate to high rainfall is necessary for better growth.
 
Soil (Physical/Chemical) Silt or loamy soils with pH. 5.5-8.0 is required (WOA, 1998).
 
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).
 
Global Distribution It is widely distributed throughout the world.
 
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).
 
Herbarium No 0

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 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 trivandrum page-221 1951 central research institute
3 The wealth of india The wealth of india 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 new delhi india series-1 vol-4 page-1-7 1956 c.s.i.r
5 Kirtikar, KR, Basu, BD. Indian medicinal plants Kirtikar, KR, Basu, BD. Dehra Dun. 1935 International Book Distributors,
6 Quarterly Journal of Crude Drug Research. Pharmacognostic study of the bark of Saraca indica. Ray, N, Datta, PC. 19(2/3): 97-102. 1981
7 IJHS. A'soka (Saraca indica Linn.) - A cultural and scientific evaluation. Biswas, TK, Debnath, PK. 7(2): 99-114. 1972.
8 Current Science. Chemical study of the indigenous plant Saraca indica (asoka). Sen, SP. 32: 502. 1963.
9 Indian Drugs Pharmac. Ind. Efficacy of seed extracts of Saraca indica against some dermatophytic fungi. Singh, KV, Bhatt, SK. 15(1): 39-40. 1980.
10 IJMR. Antibacterial activity of flowers and flower buds of Saraca indica L. Pal, SC, Maiti, AP, Chatterjee, BP, Nandy, A. 82: 188-189. 1985.
11 Nadkarni, AK. Indian Materia and Medica. Nadkarni, AK. Bombay, India. 1954 Popular Prakashan,
12 Ind J Pharma Sci. Potential anticancer activity of Saraca indica extracts towards transplantable tumours in mice. Varghese, CD. 54(1): 37-40. 1992.
13 WOA The Wealth of Asia New Delhi 1998 National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR
14 WOA The Wealth of Asia New Delhi 1998 National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR

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