Ashoka is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing all over India and Sri Lanka. It literally means ‘remover of sorrow’, abiding to its ability to cure pain and discomfort.
Benefits of Ashoka: Fibroids, fights cancer, colic, piles, kidney stones, skin diseases, hyperdipsia, dysentery, inflammation, scabies, fever, colic, ulcers.
Action: Astringent, sedative.
Scientific name: Saraca indica.
Useful part: Bark
Dosgae: 1–9g per day or 3–15ml per day.
Energetics
Rasa (taste): Bitter, astringent
Vırya(energy): Cold
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Pungent
Guna (quality): Light, dry
Dosa effect: KP-
Dhatu(tissue): Blood, muscle, fat, reproductive
Srotas (channel): Female reproductive, circulatory
Description: Ashoka is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing upto 9m height with numerous spreading and drooping glabrous branches. The bark is dark brown to grey or black. Leaves are pinnate, 30-60cm long having 2-3 pairs of lanceolate leaflets. Flowers are orange or orange yellow,and very fragrant. Fruits are flat black pods, Seeds are ellipsoid oblong and compressed.
Classical and common names
Ayurvedic: Asoka, Gatasokah.
Hindi: Asok, Asoka;
Bengali: Ashok;
Malayalam: Asokam;
Tamil: Asogam;
Kannada:Asokada, Aksunkara;
Telugu: Asokamu, Vanjalam
Botanical classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Saraca
Species: Saraca asoca