Saraca Asoca (Roxb.), De
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Annals of Plant Sciences ISSN: 2287-688X www.annalsofplantsciences.com OPEN ACCESS Review Article Saraca asoca (Roxb.), De. Wild: An overview Satish A Bhalerao1*, Deepa R Verma2, Vinodkumar S Didwana2 and Nikhil C Teli2 1Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, University of Mumbai, India 2Department of Biological Sciences, VIVA College, Virar (W)-401 303, University of Mumbai, India Received for publication: April 05, 2014; Accepted: April 17, 2014. Abstract: Saraca asoca (Roxb.), De. wild (Family: Caesalpinaceae) is a vital indigenous plant with a numerous traditional significance commonly known as Ashoka. The word Ashoka means “without sorrow”, a reference to reputation of its bark for keeping a woman healthy and youthful. The stem bark is chiefly used in medicines and it has been reported to contain chemicals such as glycoside, flavanoids, tannins, saponins, alkanes, esters and primary alcohols. Saraca asoca has been greatly used as traditional medicine for women related problems, such as menorrhagia, leucorrhoea, bleeding hemorrhoids, dysfunctional uterine bleeding etc. In this review, emphasis is lead upon research associated to therapeutic properties, phytochemistry and pharmacological profile of Saraca asoca (Roxb.), De. Wild. Key Words: Saraca asoca, glycoside, menorrhagia, phytochemistry. Introduction Saraca asoca (Roxb.), De. wild or The Ashoka is valued for its attractive Saraca indica is one of the most ancient tree foliage and fragrant flowers. It is a beautiful, of India, frequently known as a “Ashok small, erect evergreen tree, with deep green briksh”, or “Ashoka” belonging to family leaves growing in dense clusters. Its flowering Caesalpinaceae means “without sorrow” or season is around February to April. The which that gives no grief. Ashoka tree has Ashoka flowers come in heavy, lush bunches been mentioned in some of the oldest Indian and are bright yellow which turns red before text apart from Ayurveda. Across India, wilting5. Ashoka tree is believed to be sacred and apart from Ramayana, Ashoka tree is Ashoka is one of the most significant mentioned in Buddhism and Jainism as well. Ayurvedic drug for the treatment of several Charaka Samhita which is believed to have feminine disorders especially in menorrhagia. been composed in 1000 BC describes about Its bark for keeping a woman healthy and Ashoka tree and its medicinal benefits1,2,3. youthful. The natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use Sita-Ashoka (the name The Ashoka is a rain-forest tree. It is given to Saraca asoca) mainly in treatment of found all over India, especially in Himalaya, gynecological disorders. Its bark is bitter, Kerala, Bengal and whole south region. Its astringent and sweet in taste. It has original distribution was in the central areas stimulating effect on endometrial and the of the Deccan plateau, as well as the middle ovarian tissue. It is useful in internal section of the Western Ghats in the western bleeding, hemorrhoids, ulcers, uterine coastal zone of the Indian subcontinent. As a affections, menorrhagia especially due to wild tree, the Ashoka is a vulnerable species. uterine fibroids, meno-metrorrhagia, It is becoming rarer in its natural habitat, but leucorrhoea and pimples. The plant possess isolated wild Ashoka trees are still to be found several medicinal value and widely used in in the foothills of the central and Ayurvedic formulation for treat number of eastern Himalayas, in scattered locations of disease like to treat painful conditions, the northern plains of India as well as on the improves complexion of the body, improves west coast of the subcontinent near Mumbai4. digestion and assimilation, alleviates excessive thirst, to kills all infectious agents, in blood disease, inflammation. *Corresponding Author: Dr. Satish A Bhalerao, Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, University of Mumbai, India Page| 770 Satish A Bhalerao et al., Annals of Plant Sciences, 2014, 3 (07), 770-775 Habitat Taxanomic Position8 It is found all over Indian Kingdom Plantae subcontinent. The tree is believed to have Division Magnoliophyta Class Magnoliopsida originated in the Western Ghats and Deccan Order Fabales plateau. It can also be found in central and Family Caesalpinaceae Eastern Himalayas. It is known to grow at an Genus Saraca altitude of 750 m above the sea level6. The Species asoca plant grows to a height of about 9m in length. 10 The plant generally grows in fertile and semi- Phytochemistry Plant fertile areas across India. The tree belongs to Phytoconstituent Part Caesalpinaceae family. This is a perennial Oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic plant which can range from dark green to acidssitosterol,quercetin, kaempferol, quercetin, grayish green in colour. The lenticels are Flower apigenin- 7-0-p-D-glucoside, Pelargonidin- 3, 5- circular and ridged opposing. The seeds diglucoside, cyanidin-3, 5- diglucoside, palmitic, stearic, linolenic, leucocyanidin and gallic acid. generally are reddish brown with fibres. Procyanidin, epicatechin, 11'- deoxyprocyanidin B, Bark catechin, leucopelargonidin and leucocyanidin. Morphological characteristics Glycosides, lyoniside, nudiposide, 5-methoxy- 9-β- xylopyranosyl, isolariciresinol, and schizandriside, and Leaves: It is a peripinnate, alternate, Dried three flavonoids, epicatechin, epiafzelechin-(4β→8)- bark distichous and 7-30 cm long and its petiolule epicatechin and procyanidin B2, together with β- 0.1-0.6 cm long and opposite leaflets, 4-6 sitosterol glucoside Seed pairs, narrow elliptic-oblong or lanceolate, Oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids, catechol, (-) and and its apex acute to acuminate, base acute epicatechol and leucocyanidin. Pod to rounded or subcordate, glabrous, midrib raised above and tertiary nerves reticulate 7. Traditional Uses Saraca asoca has been greatly used as Bark: The bark is dark brown or grey traditional medicine for women related or almost black with warty surface. Stem bark problems, such as leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, are rough and uneven due to the presence of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and bleeding rounded or projecting lenticles and channeled, hemorrhoids etc.9 It is also effectively used in smooth with circular lenticles and Ayurveda for clearing congestion from the transversely ridged 7 Medas Dhatus and Mamsa, especially when there may be leucorrhoea, endometriosis, Flowers: It is inflorescence dense cysts, and fibroids from excess kapha and corymbs, orange colour and sometimes white ama in the Artava Srotas .The Ashoka herb and fragrant. also has a nourishing effect on the circulatory system, thereby making it an effective Fruits: It is a pod, flat, oblong and remedy in arrhythmia and cardiac weakness. apiculate. The Ashoka herb also helps in encouraging urine flow and thus helps in treating Vernacular Names9 conditions that cause painful urination. The Kankeli, Sita- Sanskrit Ashoka Ashoka herb benefits the endometrium and Oriya Ashoka uterine muscles and this makes it effective as English Ashoka a uterine tonic for irregular menstrual cycles Assamese Ashoka and miscarriage. Kashmiri Ashok Marathi Ashok, Jasundi Bengali Ashoka, Oshok In Pradara Roga of females, Malayalam Asokam Ksheerapaka of its 6 gm bark powder should Gujrati Ashoka be taken. It is so effective in all types of Ashoka, Vand Hindi ichitrah abnormal discharges per vagina. Ksheerapaka Ashokadamara, is also beneficial in uterine inertia, uterine Kannada Ashanke, pain, urinary calculus, dysurea. In pain, its Kenkalimara paste of bark should be applied on that site. Punjabi Ashok Tamil Asogam The womenfolk of Chhattisgarh boil the bark Telugu Vanjulamu of Ashoka in cow's milk, add sugar and consume it once a day for three days and repeat the course after three months to prevent gynecological disorders. In India married Hindu women eat the flower buds of www.annalsofplantsciences.com Page | 771 Satish A Bhalerao et al., Annals of Plant Sciences, 2014, 3 (07), 770-775 Saraca asoca on the "Ashok Shasthi day" to good inhibitory activity against A. cajani, guard their children against grief and sorrow. while it effective at lower concentrations The persons suffering from mental disorder against other fungi also. Four different extract are advised to take bath under the shade of of Saraca asoca bark tested antibacterial Ashok tree. For mental piece, the natives activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella prepare special Herbal Mala using root pieces typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, of Sita Ashok and give it to the patients. The Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, K. patients are advised to put the powdered aerogenes, Sh. Boydis, P. vulgaris . Different seeds inside the Pan (Betel) and eat it empty extract of Saraca asoca bark were screened stomach. In menorrhagia, the healers boil the against the enteric pathogen isolates namely bark in water and prepare a decoction. In this Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei and decoction many other herbs are added. This Salmonella enteritis. All the extracts other decoction is given every morning (empty than aqueous extract showed antimicrobial stomach) to the patients. Many healers boil activity with the methanol extract having the the bark in milk also. The decoction is also highest percentage of activity. Methanol and used externally for washing. In case of Safed water extracts of Saraca asoca leaves Pani (Leucorrhoea), the healers boil the bark exhibited good activity against Bacillus in mixture of milk