ASHOKA

ASHOKA     JANOSIA ASHOKA It is also known by the name Janosia asoca or Saraca indica. It is of the family Leguminosae and is an I...

ASHOKA    JANOSIA ASHOKA

It is also known by the name Janosia asoca or Saraca indica. It is of the family Leguminosae and is an Indian tree 7-10 m. high with glabrous branches, 15-20 cm long glabrous leaves with 4-6 pairs of leaflets. The tincture is made from the bark and is a proved medicine (1). The affinity of this drug is female reproductive organs. The mother tincture is generally used for delayed and irregular menses, menstrual colic, arnemorrhoea, pain in ovaries before flow, menorrhagia, irritable bladder with other symptoms like unilateral headache, reflex uterine, congestive headache, better open air and by free flow.  Desire for sweets, also acid things, thirsty, excessive nausea, obstinate constipation, haemorrhoids are also covered (2,3).

It has many phytochemicals which have been extensively worked pharmacologically and clinically.  Ketosterol, a glycosidal fraction, a saponin and an organic calcium compound are found from the whole plant.  Ketosterol and the calcium salts are important in the treatment of menorrhagia (4,5). 11-Deoxyprocyanidin B-isolated from root bark (-) epicatechin and procyanidin B2 and other phytochemical have also been isolated.  A phenolic glycoside showed highly potent and specific oxytocic activity in vitro and in vivo on uteri of rat and isolated human myometrial strips and fallopian tube. It was active in remarkably low concentrations and nontoxic to animals upto 250 mg/kg (6). Two crude glycosides isolated from bark have exhibited uterine spasmogenic activity and both showed significant stimulant action on isolated uteri of rat, guinea pig, rabbit, dog and human; pure phenolic glycoside P2 was highly potent and showed consistent oxytocic activity (7).

In ancient medicine of it has great repute for menstrual and uterine disorders. It is an important remedy for amenorrhea and scanty menseswhich is related to intolerable pain and burning sensation during urination. It is tonic related to uterus and so called as uterine tonic. which gives strength to the uterus which has been weakened by chronic ailments.

In Homeopathy, mother tincture of Ashok stem bark is prepared and used for delayed and irregular menses, menstrual colic, arnemorrhoea, pain in ovaries before flow, menorrhagia, irritable bladder with other symptoms like unilateral headache, reflex uterine, congestive headache, better open air and by free flow.

For this remedy, the patient is good natured affectionate, loves all persons. Patient has very weeping in nature and she is very timid. Patient is very excitable and fatigued, does not like to do any work. She is often absent minded. She is very slow to understand and is very impatient. She is satisfied with small things. She has very disturbed sleep. Patient suffers lack of sleep, she dreams of travelling or of fear. She is not very imaginative and experiences suffering very much.

Description of Ashok tree

• Botanical name: Saraca indica Linn.
• Natural Order: Caesalpiniaceae
• Distribution: India, Central and E. Himalayan, W. Peninsula, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia.
• Flowering time: March-April
• Fruiting time: September
• Conservation Status: Critically endangered

It is tree which 6-9m high. It is grown all over India. It occur up to the altitude 600 meters. It is also cultivated in many gardens because of its decorative orange flowers. Its leaves is abruptly pinnate, with few pairs of leaflets.

Flowers are yellowish to deep red. Petals absent.

It has been traditionally used in Indian system medicine for treatment of uterine, genital aliments and other reproductive disorders in women, fever , pain and inflammation. All parts of the tree used in medicine. The bark is dark brown or grey or almost black with warty surface. Stem bark are rough and uneven due to the presence of rounded or projecting lenticels.

Common names

1. English: Asoka Tree
2. Gujrati: Ashopalava
3. Hindi & Bengali: Anganapriya
4. Hindi: Ashok
5. Odia: Ashoka
6. Sanskrit: Asoka; Kankeli
7. Tamil: Asogam
8. Telugu: Kankeli, Asokamu,Vanjulamu
9. Uriya: Asoka
10. Kannada: Husangid-ba, Usangid

It is distributed in evergreen forests of India up to an elevation of about 750 meters. It is found throughout India. Specially in Himalaya, Kerala, Bengal and whole south region. In Himalaya it is found at Khasi, Garo and Lussi hills and in Kerala region it is found in Patagiri, Kaikatty & Pothundi of Palakkad district, Thrisur, Kollam and Kannaur districts.

The Bark

Bark have stimulating effect on the endometrial and ovarian tissues. It is also used in cases of uterine bleeding, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. It has use in dysentery treatment. It is used as a uterine sedative and hot water extracts administered to human adult female stimulates the uterus similar to ergot, but it does not produce tonic contraction.

The Leaf

Its leaves possess blood-purifying properties and also used of stomach-ache relief. The past of leaves or applied on the skin to get relief form skin diseases

Dried leaves are used in

1. Paralysis (may be one sided)
2. Broken bones and skin trauma.

The Flowers

Its dried flowers are used in diabetes and hemorrhagic dysentery and seeds are used occurring bone fractures. The flowers are considered to be a uterine tonic and are used in cases like burning sensation, dysentery, scabies in children and inflammation.

The Seed

Seeds helps in bone strengthening and the ash of plant is good for extern al application in rheumatoid-arthritis.

It has anticancer activity also where in some cases it acts on cancer cells and has no activity against normal lymphocytes.

The Roots

Paste of roots is useful in skin conditions such as freckles, ulcers, itching in eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and herpes like conditions and scabies. In these conditions, it is used as a wash or in a cream. It improves skin complexion and skin tone. It can also be used in cases of discoloration or loss of pigmentation.

Some other symptoms of Homeopathic Remedy JANOSIA ASHOKA are given below:

Headache

She has very congestive headache, which is better by free menstrual flow. Patient has periodical headache which is better by bathing. Patient has heaviness of head with vertigo.

Eyes

There is redness along with burning and itching. It is very good remedy for styles( red swelling over eyelids) which is present on the upper eyelids. Patient’s eyes are easily tired on least exertion. Patient is also difficulty in seeing far objects clearly.

Ears

There is pain in ears along with hardness of hearing after a severe cold.

Nose

There is profuse watering form the nose along with sneezing and soreness of the nostrils. There is obstruction of the nose. It is very good remedy for loss of smell and bleeding from nose.

Face

Patient has pale face which alternately hot and red along with pimples on the face.

Mouth

There is dryness along with excessive thirst. Patient drinks large quantities of water at a time. Patient has thickly white or brown coated tongue along with bleeding gums and toothache.

Throat

Redness of the throat with a sore feeling. Patient takes cold easily.

Stomach

There is excessive nausea, along with pain in the stomach which is colicky in nature, with no desire for food, and he eats little. Patient has a desire for sweet, and sour acid things, and patient does not like to drink mild. He drinks large quantities of water. There is want of appetite, but he dislikes food. Patient drinks large quantities of water. There is want of appetite and patient dislikes food.

Stool

Patient has hard distended foul smelling flatus worse in the evening. There is soreness in the lower abdomen. It is very good remedy for long duration constipation, in which patient passes stool every third or fourth day, and he has pain before stool, there is soreness in the anus, with at times bleeding piles with itching and smarting.

Urinary complaints

Patient has frequent bloody scanty and involuntary urination at night, with in pain in the loin(area near thighs). It is very good remedy for complaint of urination in night.

 Female complaints

It is very good remedy for all female complaints. She feels headache due to suppression of menses with delayed or irregular menses. Menstrual discharge is scanty, pale, watery, foul smelling, blackish. It is very good remedy for amenorrhoea at puberty with headache, and loss of appetite. Patient feel better by starting of flow. Menses at times are profuse, long lasting which makes the female weak and anemic. It is very useful remedy for problems like sterility and menopause. It is very good remedy for white discharge in infants.

Respiratory

Patient experiences hurried respiration with difficulty in breathing when walking and worse in the afternoon.

Back

Patient experiences pain in the back and sacrum radiating towards the abdomen at night.

Important Therapeutic Indications of Janosia Ashoka Mother tincture

1. Disorders of female organs
2. Delayed and irregular menses
3. Menstrual colic (painful sensations)
4. Metrorrhagia (abnormal bleeding from the uterus)
5. Menorrhagia (abnormally heavy bleeding at menstruation and metrorrhagia is the term for abnormal bleeding from the uterus)
6. Amenorrhea (abnormal absence of menstruation)
7. Pain in ovaries before flow
8. Irritable bladder with other symptoms like unilateral headache
9. Reflex uterine
10. Congestive headache
11. Better open air and by free flow.  Desire for sweets
12. Excessive nausea
13. Obstinate constipation
14. Hemorrhoids

Recommended dose:  The recommended Janosia Ashoka uses are10-20 drops 2-3 times a day, depending upon the case