'Ashokarist'is an important ayurvedic medicine for females,prepared from bark of Saraca asoca(Vernacular name: Ashoka,Sita Ashoka).Almost lakhs of bottles of this medicine are sold in Indian markets every year,while the plants are rarely seen.
Polyalthia longifolia - an exotic,introduced in India is also locally called as 'Ashok'.It is commonly grown and is comparatively fast growing tree.
If the Ashokarist available in market is from the bark of Portal this,it will not at all be effective medicine.
I want to if any research is donne on this aspect?
Dear Sir,
Please have a look at these useful links.
http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/85388/1/Thesis.pdf
Article Distribution and population status of threatened medicinal t...
Article Assessment of genetic variability in the Asoka Tree of India
Good luck!
Thank you Dr Arvind Ji for providing valuable links.
But finally the question remains I.e whether the bottles of Ashokarist available in market,contain the extract of Saraca asoca
Or some other plant.In that case all the bottles available for sale in market,have to be withdrawn.
Regards
RCSrivarsatava
Dear Sir,
I totally agree with you Sir. The total annual demand for dry stem bark of Saraca asoca in India is around 5,332 tonnes. However, due to unavailability of sufficient bark, it is often adulterated with bark of Polyalthia longifolia, Saraca declinata, Shorea robusta, Brownea ariza, Bauhinia variegata, Trema orientalis and Rhododendron arboretum.
Regards
I agree with Arvind. It is mostly Polyalthia longifolia bark. The species longifolia is, however, currently transferred to a different genus.
My request is to know the population/census and large scale propagation of Saraca asoca by involving the pharmaceutical companies,so that we can get pure Ashokarist of Ayurveda.
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