Ashoka consists of dried stem bark of the plant Saraca indica Linn., belonging to family Leguminosae.
ASHOKA
Synonyms
Ashoka, ashoka bark.
Biological Source
Ashoka consists of dried stem bark of the plant Saraca indica Linn., belonging to family
Leguminosae.
Geographical Source
It is distributed in South Asia, that is, in Malaysia,
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India.
Cultivation and Collection
It is one of the most sacred trees of the Hindus. It is frequently
grown as an ornamental and avenue tree in India. It is not found to be
cultivated on commercial scale. It can be easily propagated from seeds. It is
found growing suitably at an altitude of 750 m in the Himalayas, Khasi, Garo,
and Lushai hills. It is an evergreen tree, bearing dark red-coloured flowers
reaching a maximum height of 9 m. Bark is collected from the plant by making
transverse and longitudinal incisions.
Morphology
Microscopy
Transverse section of bark shows cork cells, cork cambium,
and phelloderm constituting periderm of bark. Pericycle is composed of
sclereids (stone cells), parenchyma and scattered pericyclic fibres. Sclereids
usually occur as densely packed zones, composed of thick-walled, tangentially
elongated cells, which alternate with parenchyma. Parenchymatous cells are
thick-walled, oval containing prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. Sheath of
prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate surrounds zone of sclereids. Secondary phloem
is a wide region consisting of phloem parenchyma, traversed longitudinally by
medullary rays and phloem fibres. Cells of phloem parenchyma contain prismatic
crystals of calcium oxalate similar to that of parenchyma of Pericycle. Phloem
fibres are arranged in small concentric groups of more than three on the radial
rows of phloem elements. Medullary rays become much wider, dilated, and funnel
shaped on reaching pericycle.
Chemical Constituents
Ashoka stem bark contains about 6% of tannins and
anthocyanin derivatives which includes leucopelargonidin-3-O-β-D-glucoside. leucopelargonidin and leucoanidin. It also
contains waxy substance constituted of long chain alkanes, esters, alcohols and
n-octacosanol. The steroidal components present in the bark includes
24-methylcholest-5-en-3-β-ol,
(ZZE)-24-ethylcholesta-5,22-dien-3-β-ol, 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3-β-ol and β-sitosterol.
The root bark contains ({)
epicatechin, procyandin B2 and 11’-deoxyprocyanidin B. The pods
consists of (+) catechol, ({) epicatechol, and leucocyanidin.
The flowers are reported to have various anthocyanin pigments, kaempterol,
quercetin and its glycoside, gallic acid, and β-sitosterol.
Chemical Tests
1. Powdered bark, when treated with
saturated picric acid solution, remains brown for 10 minutes and then slowly
turns to orange yellow.
2. Powdered bark gives a deep chocolate colour with 5% KOH solution.
Uses
It is used as uterine tonic and also a sedative. It
stimulates the uterus by the prolonged and frequent uterine contractions. It
is also suggested in all cases of uterine bleeding, where ergot can also be
used. It is reported to have a stimulant effect on the endometrium and ovarian
tissue and useful in menorrhagia.
Adulterants
Bark of Polyalthia longifolia is generally used as an
adulterant.
Marketed Products
It is the chief component of the preparation known as Pmensa
(Lupin Herbal Laboratory) for symptomatic relief in painful and psychological
symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome. It is also an important
ingredient of the preparation known as Femiplex (Charak Pharma Pvt. Ltd.), and
Ashokarishta (Baidyanath).
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