Health Benefits, Uses and Side effects of Ashoka
Introduction
Ashoka is a plant holding various medicinal properties and used to grow in gardens for its beautiful appearance and aromatic nature.
Plant Description
Ashoka is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing up to a height of 9 meters, with numerous extended and drooping glybros branches. Leaves a pinette with a 2-3 pair of lanceolate leaflets 30-60 cm long; Orange to yellow colored flowers in dense corymbe, quite aromatic, fruit flat black pods, ilipcidal, rectangular and compressed. The bark can be gray or black and bent surface from dark brown, fresh cut ends are pale yellow red. The thickness of the bark varies from 5 mm to 1 cm. The entire cut surface turns red after exposure to the air. The plant blossoms and bears fruit in the season of January to July.
Health Benefits and Uses of Ashoka
Cultivation
Ashoka tree is mainly grown in the Indian subcontinent. It is considered as a sacred plant by Hindus. It is often associated with the Yakshi mythological dynasty and is often seen at the doors of Buddhist and Hindu temples. The yakshas under the Ashoka tree were also very popular as decorative elements in early Buddhist monuments. This tree is often mentioned in ancient Indian religious and loving poems and has 16 different names in Sanskrit referring to its various parts.
The best of ashoka trees are cultivated in May and June and they are best propagated by cutting stems. It is difficult to cultivate ashoka trees with seeds in large quantities. However, the wild varieties of this tree are slowly becoming endangered.
The following article discusses the health benefits of Ashoka tree and related information.
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Various Regional Names of Ashoka
- Assamese : Ashoka
- Tamil : Asogu/ Asokam
- Malayalam : Asokam
- Telugu : Asokamu
- kannada : Ashoka/ Kenkali Achange
- Hindi : Seetha-Asok, Ashoka, Asok-Anganapriya
- Bengali : Asok
- Gujarati : Asupala
- Konkani : Ashok
- Marathi : Seethecha Ashok
- Odia : Asoka
- Punjabi : Asok
- Tulu : Asoka
Scientific Classification of Ashoka
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Tracheophytes
- Clade : Angiosperms
- Clade : Eudicots
- Clade : Rosids
- Order : Fabales
- Family : Fabaceae
- Genus : Saraca
- Species : S. asoca
- Scientific name: Saraca asoca
Nutritious Elements presents in Ashoka
The health beneficial chemical ingredients derived from Ashoka are of different categories such as tannin, glycoside, essential oils, calcium, flavonoids, phytosterols, alcans, esters, anthocyanin pigments, fatty acids and carbohydrates. It also contains carbon and iron carbonic compounds while tree bark contains kitosterol.
Benefits of Ashoka
1) For problems related to Menstruation:
Ashoka has effective health benefits for women’s menstrual problems. This herbal tree can work on the muscles and endometrium of the uterus, thus providing relief from stomach ache and other contractions. It helps in treating irregular periods, amenorrhea, leucorrhea, fibroids, cysts and other associated disorders. Thus ashoka is widely used to treat women’s female diseases and menstrual problems.
2) Good for Skin:
You can prepare a thick paste of ashoka tree bark by boiling it and mixing mustard oil after cooling and apply the mixture on your acne heads. It can show effective results.
3) Good for the Brain:
Ashoka tree bark helps in improving intelligence. Regular use of Ashoka tree products helps in improving your intellectual virtue. If you use equal amounts of Ashoka bark and Brahmi powder mixed together and consume 1 teaspoon of it twice a day with a cup of milk, you will see the effect on your body.
4) Resistor to skin disease:
Consumption of herbal medicines made from Ashoka tree helps in removing toxins from the blood and hence shows great benefits for our skin. The properties of ashoka trees help in purifying blood and prevent allergies and other skin disorders. Skin irritation can also be treated using Ashoka infused products.
5) Reduces abdominal bloating and stomach inflammation:
Consuming ashoka tree leaves can kill stomach worms and provide relief from bloating and inflammation caused by worms. Ashoka tree bark also has anti-fungal, antibacterial and pain relief properties. Ashok helps in fighting both internal and external inflammation and relieves inflammation.
6) Good in Piles and Diabetes:
People suffering from diabetes can use dry flowers of Ashoka tree to treat their disease. Ashoka flowers help in controlling blood sugar levels. Herbal supplements made from this tree also help in the treatment of piles.
7) Stops Internal Bleeding:
You can drink a few drops of water mixed with the crushed flowers of ashoka plant to prevent internal bleeding. Ashok flower helps to prevent hemorrhagic dysentery. Thus Ashoka’s flowers will help you take care of your health.
8) Prevents Diarrhea:
The flowering of ashoka trees prevents blood loss in the stool and thus treats diarrhea without causing any side effects. Ashoka tree leaves, flowers and bark tonics can be used to relieve this painful condition.
9) Relieves pain:
Ashoka tree extraction has analgesic properties and hence helps in relieving pain. If you experience pain in your joints, you can apply ashoka bark paste to the affected areas
10) Helps to remove kidney stone naturally:
The powder of the ashoka seed is a natural remedy to kidney stones. Consuming Ashoka seed powder wrapped in betel leaf several times may show positive results in removing kidney stones.
11) Helpful in fever:
The health benefits of ashoka are also seen in fever. It has antipyretic properties that make it an effective remedy to reduce the symptoms of fever.
13) Beneficial in cancer:
Ashoka has anticancer properties which make it resistant to breast cancer as well as other cancers in the body.
14) Improves sleep:
Ashoka bark and seeds can make it easy for insomnia patients to fall asleep by relaxing the overactive central nervous system. Ashoka infused products are beneficial in improving sleep and duration for some of its flavonoids, glycoside and tannins.
15) Treats Infertility:
Ashoka is considered particularly effective for women’s infertility and endometriosis. Ashoka’s effectiveness in treating women’s infertility may be linked to its ability to successfully treat endometriosis (a major cause of female infertility).
16) Reduces the symptoms of Menopause:
The hormonal balance promoted by this herb also makes it effective against many menopause symptoms including hot flash, night sweating, sleep problems, mood swings and weight gain.
17) Helps to treat Leucorrhea:
Leucorrhea is a thick, white snare emitted from the female genitalia. According to Ayurveda, leukorrhea is caused by an imbalance of ‘kapha dosha’. Ashoka shows good results in this problem due to ‘Kasaya’ (hard) assets. Thus helps to reduce the symptoms of leucorrhea.
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Uses of Ashoka
The bark, leaves, trunk and flowers of ashoka tree are commonly used. These parts are used to produce various cosmetics products and medicines –
- The bark of ashoka tree is good for skin and is used to produce cosmetics that help in improving skin tone. It helps prevent difficult urinal conditions and even acts as an antidote to dispersion.
- Even the dried flowers of Ashoka tree are beneficial for diabetic patients.
Harmful Side Effects of Ashoka and Precautions
Though Ashoka has many health benefits, it also has harmful effects –
- Pregnant women should refrain from eating products made from this tree as this can lead to complications in delivery.
- People who are sensitive to certain types of food should consult a doctor before taking any product made from this tree.
- If you are taking prescription medication, please consult your healthcare professional/ expert/ doctor before using Ashoka as medicine.
Conclusion
The above article discussed the health benefits of Ashoka tree and other important information related to it. This information is only for knowledge purposes. Please consult a specialist before consuming ashoka tree products, especially if you are suffering from any serious health issues. Thank You!
FAQ
1) What is the specialty of Ashoka tree?
A. Ashoka is valuable for its beautiful leaves and fragrant flowers. It is a beautiful, small, steep evergreen tree, with dark green leaves growing in dense clusters. Ashoka flowers come in heavy, green clusters colored from bright orange to yellow. These leaves turn red before dying.
2) What are ashoka leaves used for?
A. Ashoka tree is useful for treating the disorders of women like dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia. It helps in controlling bleeding in the pile due to its cooling properties. Ashok seed powder is an effective remedy for controlling the infection of the worm due to its anti-worm properties.
3) Is ashoka tree herbal?
A. Ashoka is the most important uterine tonic of ayurvedic medicine and has many traditional uses that infuse a healthy reproductive system in women.
4) Why is the Ashoka tree called ‘Ashoka’?
A. In Sanskrit, “without sorrow” means “Ashoka”. This term refers to the established homeopathic properties of the bark of this tree to keep women healthy. The tree itself is a precious rainforest tree for its leaves and aromatic flowers.
5) Is Ashoka tree good for the house?
A. Ashoka tree can be grown in the garden/courtyard of the house. It is believed that the Ashok tree helps to remove misery and brings a joyful environment.