Capsule Ashok Chhal

Latin name: Saraca Asoca
Family: Leguminosae
Common name: Asoka, Hempushpa
English name: Asoka

Habitat: Cultivated throughout India especially in central and eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats and Deccan.

Macroscopic identification: Bark channeled, externally dark green to greenish gray: smooth with circular lenticels and transversely ridged, internally reddish brown.

Parts used: bark, seed and flower.

Action and uses in Ayurveda: asrigdara, apachan, daha, raktadosa, sotha, hrid roga

Indications: bark is strongly astringent and uterine sedative. It acts directly upon muscular fibers of the uterus. It has a stimulating effect on the endometrium and ovarian tissue.

Properties and action:

Rasa: kasaya, tikta
Guna: laghu, ruksha
Virya: sita
Vipaka: katu
Karma: grahi, varnya, hrdya, sothahara, visaghna

Preparations: powder, ghrita, decoction, and arisht.

Therapeutic classification index:

• Central nervous system: both decoction and juice of Asoka Chhal are used in hysteria.
• Blood and haemopoeitic tissue: bark is useful in internal bleeding hemorrhoids and also hemorrhagic dysentery. It is haemostyptic.
• Digestive system: in powder form it is used in abdominal discomfort. It also helps in deworming.
• Genito-urinary system: bark is useful in uterine affections, especially in menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids and other causes. Decoction of bark is useful in leucorrhoea. Seeds are diuretic and prevent calculus deposition.
• Immunity system: it is applied as a paste on cut wounds. It acts as an antiseptic.

Ashok – a healer of all female troubles.

It is general recommendation by the healers to boil the bark with cow’s milk and take the milk (after removing the bark). For taste, sugar can be added. The healers suggest every female native to take this milk once in a day, upto three days, in every 3 months, as preventive to gynaecological troubles. In case of menorrhagia, the healers boil the bark in water and prepare a decoction. In this decoction many other herbs are added. This decoction is given every morning (empty stomach) to the patients. Many healers boil the bark in milk also. The decoction is also used externally for washing. In case of Leucorrhoea, the healers boil the bark in mixture of milk and water. When water evaporates, the combination is given to the patients.

The traditional healers of Bastar region informed me that the aqueous paste of Sita Ashok flowers and roots can be used for breast enlargement successfully

Use of Ashok in arthritis and pain in joints
The bonesetters of Chhattisgarh use this herb, like Arjun (Terminalia Arjun). The patients having bone fracture are advised by the healers to take Sita Ashok bark with water. Sometimes it is given with Arjun bark. According to the healers, the bark contains valuable natural chemicals that help in quick reunion.

Many healers dip the bark whole night in bark and next morning prepare a paste. This paste is applied externally on injured bones in order to hasten the healing process. According to them, it is effective as well as good painkiller.

Dose: powder-3-6g
Fresh juice 10-20 ml

Capsule Ashok Chhal pure and concentrated Ashok Chhal.
Dosage: one capsule twice daily.
Package size: 60 capsules.

References:

1. Dr.KM Nadkarni, The Indian Materia Medica, Vol.I, pg 1104-1105
2. Prof P.V Sharma, Dravya GunaVigyana, Vol II, pg 617-619
3. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Of India, Part I, Vol.I, pg 14