Study of Ashoka (Saraca Asoca) Bark w.s.r. to its samples available in the crude drug market of Bombay

Abstract

Ashoka is one of the most legendary and sacred trees of India. The Ashoka bark has been very widely used in Indian System of Medicine. It has very good effects in Uterine, genital and reproductive disorders. Ashoka bark is one of the top 20 herbs traded in Ayurveda and Herbal Industry being main ingredient in almost all formulations to treat Gynaecological disorders. Due to more demand and less supply of authentic Ashoka, there is substitution or adulteration with other plants. In this study of Ashoka bark with special reference to its samples available in the crude drug market of Mumbai, we determined method and time of collection of the authentic Ashoka bark, its organoleptic characteristics, Pharmacognostical and physic-chemical along with market samples. A great difference was observed in authentic Ashoka bark and marketed samples. Reference Ashoka bark collected from Sanjay Gandhi National Botanical Garden, Mumbai as per procedures described in Charak Samhita Vimansthana chaper 8. Other five samples of Ashoka bark available in name of Ashoka were collected from different locations of Mumbai crude drug Market. All six samples were properly powdered, sieved and kept in air tight containers for further study. In this study, emphasis is led upon standardisation of Ashoka - Saraca asoca (Roxb.) and its samples available in the crude drug market.