Ashoka or saraca is one of the most renowned and sacred trees of India, and one of the most charming flowers in the Indian range of flower essences. It belongs to Caesalpaeniaceae family. It is an extremely beautiful, small, erect evergreen tree, with deep green foliage and very aromatic, bright orange-yellow flowers, which later turn red. The flowering season is roughly in April and May. It is found in central and eastern Himalayas as well as on the west Ghats.

Ashoka or saraca is a Sanskrit word meaning with no grief or that which gives no grief. Of course, the tree has many other names in local languages as well. One such name means the tree of love blossoms. The Hindus regard it as sacred, being devoted to Kama Deva, The Indian God of Love. The tree is a symbol of love. Its gorgeous, delicately perfumed flowers are used in temple decoration. There are also festivals connected with this flower. Lord Buddha was born under the Ashoka or saraca tree, so it is planted in Buddhist monasteries.

Ashoka or Saraca indica is a medium-sized evergreen tree which is found all through the Indian subcontinent, usually in the central and eastern Himalayas and also along the Western Ghats. Saraca tree is often confused with the tall, and ornamental tree, biologically known as Polyalthia longifolia. The use of Ashoka or saraca as medicine was known to Indians since ancient times. References in this regard are found even in the Ramayana. Some of the leading lights of Ayurveda, who have had the first-hand clinical experience with Ashoka or saraca, include Charka samhita, Sushruta samhita and Bhavamishra.

Ashoka (Saraca indica) Herbal Dietary Supplement: 60 Vegetable Capsules

Packs Retail Price Sale Price Shipping Order Now 2 Bottle $35.00 $35.00 Free 3 Bottle $53.00 $47.00 Free 5 Bottles $88.00 $69.00 Free 10 Bottles $175.00 $129.00 Free

Serving size: 2 Vegi caps
Servings per container: 30
Each 500 mg capsule contains: Ashoka

Dosage: 1-2 Capsules two times a day after meal or or as directed by your health practitioner.

• It is a powerful uterine supporter in females
• It is beneficial in inhibiting vaginal discharges
• It is also effective in leucorrhea
• It is beneficial in providing tonicity to female urinary tract.
• Effective in curbing recurrent urinary tract infections.
• Regularizes menstrual cycle
• Provides strength to uterus membrane
• Effective in treating gonorrhea
• Helpful in treating uterine disorders after parturition.

Ashoka or saraca is highly much-admired for its effectiveness in gynecological problems. This tree has been portrayed as kashaya (astringent) and tikta (bitter) in taste and laghu (light) and rooksha (dry) in effect. The bark, leaves, flowers and seeds of the plant are of medicinal value. The main chemical constituents of the bark are tannin, catechol, an essential oil (EO), organic calcium and iron compounds. Ayurvedic texts describe many preparations for the treatment of a range of ailments in which its stem bark is used as one of the main ingredients.

The herb stimulates the uterus, making supportive contractions more recurrent and prolonged. Ashoka or saraca also has an astringent but stimulating effect on the endometrium, and the ovarian tissues, and is useful in many gynecological problems such as uterine bleeding linked with fibroids and the treatment of leucorrhoea. It is used with achievement in cases of internal bleeding, piles and hemorrhagic dysentery.

Ashoka or saraca has been effective in regularizing menstrual disturbances without producing any side-effect. Its effect on the ovarian tissue may make an estrogen-like activity that enhances the repair of the endometrium and stops bleeding. In metrorrhagia, in addition to lessening the uterine bleeding, it regularizes the interval between two cycles. Besides treating the symptoms of fatigue and generalized weakness, the use of Ashoka or saraca provides enormous relief from painful menses, the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and non-specific white discharge.

Research - Antibacterial activity of aerial parts as well as in vitro raised calli of the medicinal plant Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde.
By Shahid M, Shahzad A, Malik A, Anis M .

The research was carried out at Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India. Leaves stem, and flowers of Saraca asoca or ashoka, an endangered medicinal plant in India, and young explants cultivated on Murashige & Skoog's medium containing 6-benzylaminopurine were analyzed for antibacterial potential. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts from parent explants and their in-vitro raised calli were tested by an agar well diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extracts were determined by broth micro-dilution method. Aqueous extracts showed anti-bacterial properties against limited bacterial species, while alcoholic extracts were active against a wider range of bacteria. Although the alcoholic extracts of all the explants and calli showed antibacterial activity, the extracts derived from flowers and their calli showed better results. Extracts resultant from calli showed comparable results to the extracts from explants. Overall, the MICs or Minimal inhibitory concentrations of the extracts ranged from 0.039 to 1.25 mg/mL. MICs or Minimal inhibitory concentrations against gram-positive bacteria ranged from 0.078 to 1.25 mg/mL, while they ranged between 0.039 and 0.625 mg/mL against gram-negative bacteria. A MIC or Minimal inhibitory concentrations distribution plot showed that gram-negative bacteria were more susceptible to the extracts than gram-positive bacteria. It is concluded that extracts of Saraca asoca or ashoka contain antibacterial agent, and as the calli gave good results, in vitro cultivation of the explants may be used to obtain anti-bacterial compounds. This is the first report on anti-bacterial activity of Saraca asoca or ashoka, particularly through in vitro raised calli.