Ashoka Tree Medicinal Use for Diabetes, Pile, Skin Alergies

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 310-365

Ashoka is one of the most legendary and sacred trees of India, and one of the most fascinating flowers in the Indian range of flower essences. It belongs to Caesalpaeniaceae family. 

Known to Indians since vedic period, Ashoka tree is one of the most beautiful plants of the Indian forests. In Atharva veda  parishishta it is mentioned that color of flowers of Ashoka is red. Known botanically as Saraca indica or asoca ,uniqueness of  Ashoka tree lies in being known as woman’s friendly tree.

Ashoka tree is also known by the name of Hempushpa, vanjula,Tamra pallava (leaves are copper like when they start emerging) ,Kankeli, Gandhpushpa (Flowers having fragrant smell), kankeli and pindpuspa.

A small ever green tree having bark with warty surface, Ashoka tree has its flowering season in March April. Ashoka tree has fragrant orange or orange yellow colored flowers arranged in dense corymbs. Though available in central and eastern Himalaya, its concentration is reported in South India.  It is believed that Ravana had a separate garden of Ashoka tree.

It is a very handsome, small, erect evergreen tree, with deep green foliage and very fragrant, bright orange-yellow flowers, which later turn red. The flowering season is around April and May. It is found in central and eastern Himalayas as well as on the west coast of Bombay.

Ashoka is a Sanskrit word meaning without grief or that which gives no grief. Of course, the tree has many other names in local languages as well. One such name means the tree of love blossoms. The Hindus regard it as sacred, being dedicated to Kama Deva, God of Love. T

he tree is a symbol of love. Its beautiful, delicately perfumed flowers are used in temple decoration. There are also festivals associated with this flower. Lord Buddha was born under the Ashoka tree, so it is planted in Buddhist monasteries.

Ashoka allowed to grow naturally into a normal large tree with plenty of shade.

Medicinal Uses

• Herbally, the bark of this tree is a household remedy for uterine disorders. The essence also helps women to be fertile. It is said that 'weeping woman, weeping womb,' in that the woman's emotional state affects her reproductive organs. Therefore, the essence, like the herb, helps in the uterine problems like excessive bleeding, irregular menstrual periods and infertility.
• Dysentery: An extract of the Ashoka flower can be used to effectively treat hemorrhagic dysentery. The extract is made by grinding the flowers along with some water. Doses of 15–60 drops can be taken.
• Piles: For internal piles, the bark of the Ashoka tree can be used. To prepare the decoction, take around 90 grams of the bark and boil it in 360 ml of water and 30 ml of milk until the entire quantity reduces to around 90 grams. Two to three doses of this can be taken each day.
• Pain: The specific analgesic properties present in Ashoka can used to calm the nerves when they have been aggravated by the Vata.
• Complexion: The Ashoka herb is also said to improve the complexion of skin. This herb can be used to obtain relief from burning sensations on the skin. It also helps to get rid of the toxins from the body. The Ashoka herb is also effective in purifying the blood naturally and in preventing skin allergies.
• The other Ashoka tree uses include treating the sting from a scorpion. The bark of the tree is used for scorpion sting treatment. 

• Dried Ashoka flowers can be helpful in treating diabetes
• Seed powder of Ashoka with water helps to check kidney stone.
• Decoction of bark of Ashoka tree is useful in amenorrhoea, leucorrhoea and other gynaecological disorders. Use of Ashoka bark tones the musckes of uterus.
• When there is pain due to scanty menstruation, use of Ashoka’s bark gives good result.

• Overdose of Ashoka bark acts as abortifacient. I.e it aborts the foetus. In market it is adulterated with barks of some other plants like polyialathia longifoila which do not have such side effects. That is why its ill effects of overdose are not reported
• Milk boiled with decoction of bark of  Ashoka tree is useful in excessive bleeding in female

Useful Parts of the Plant

• Flowers- Dried
• Stem- Dried
• Bark- Fresh and dried

Cecropia Tree Medicinal Use for Obesity, Diabetes Asthma, Kidney Disorder

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 304-365

One of the most interesting symbioses in the rainforest exists between the Cecropia tree and the Cecropia ant (Azteca sp.) The Cecropia trees recruit ants to live in them and protect the tree.  

The ants drive off herbivorous insects, attack herbivorous vertebrates, and remove epiphytes and competing plants.  Their wastes also provide a lot of nitrogen to the plant.   The plant provides them with housing (inside hollow stems) and gylcogen-rich  bodies.  At least, that's the simple explanation of the relationship.

The Cecropia leaf is quite popular among the Amazonian Indian tribes who use it for its anti-inflammatory qualities in the treatment of lung, kidney and rheumatic inflammations. For instance, these tribes prepare a tea made of leaves to treat respiratory problems and diabetes. 

It is further used to cure liver disorders and to stimulate menstruation. People from Trinidad take these leaves as a remedy for colds, fever, flu, snake and scorpion bites. The Palikur indigenous people resort to Cecropia leaves when they need to take care of bruises, wounds, bone fractures and mostly to clean the genitalia and relieve the pain felt after childbirth.

Cecropia is a Neotropical genus consisting of sixty-one recognized species with a highly distinctive lineage of dioecious trees.

The genus is easily identified by its large, circular, palmately lobed leaves, about 30–40 cm in diameter and deeply divided into 7-11 lobes. The trees consist of very few branches, usually with candelabrum-like branching system. In Costa Rica, three-toed sloths are often spotted easily in Cecropia trees because of Cecropias’ open, leafless branches compared to other trees. 

Cecropia trees have a hollow trunk and branches, which are divided into a series of chambers by partitions. The tree produces special structures in velvety-brown glandular patches under the leaf stems, providing nourishment for Azteca ants, which defend the leaves.

Common nameTrumpet tree, embauba, trompettier, snake wood, yagruma, bois cannon, Yagrumo hembra, ambay, sandpaper tree.


FamilyMoraceae (Mulberry family).

Medicinal Uses

The trumpet tree or embauba is widely used in traditional medicine throughout Central and South America.Virtually every part is used – bark, roots, sap, leaves and fruit – to treat a diversity of ailments. 

Each country has different uses for extracts of this plant, such as treatment for bronchitis and snakebites in Trinidad and a cure for diabetes and hypertension in Guatemala.

Recent scientific research on the trumpet tree has shown 

• potential for treating obesity, as well as 
• bacterial infections and 
• cancer. 
• The tree is regularly used throughout the world by herbalists for treating respiratory disorders and 
• diabetes.

Suriname's traditional medicine. - 

• The leaves of Embauba are used against: albumin in the urine and 
• have a good effect on the urinary passages, 
• bladder and 
• kidney disorders.

Tea made from the leaves is used as

•  a cure for asthma, 
• cough and 
• other upper- respiratory complaints such as bronchitis, 
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), 
• emphysema, 
• pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Trumpet tree is also used to treat 

• high blood pressure, for 
• childbirth and 
• menstruation and 
• to strengthen the heart.

The other parts of the plant are also useful: 

• the bark decreases mucus, 
• the roots ease bile problems and 
• the fruit greatly soothes the skin thanks to its emollient qualities.

 In many parts of Latin America, Cecropia tea is considered to be 

• a miraculous cure for asthma and apparently it is brewed from its leaves.
• Cecropia has a beneficial effect in patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes. 

Dosage
Tincture: 1 - 3 ml daily
Infusion (herbal tea): 1 - 2 cups daily

Plant Chemicals

Trumpet tree has among its plant chemicals: glycosides; lipids; alkaloids; flavonoids; isoorientin; chlorogenic acid; tannins; resins; ambain; cecropin; cardenolid; leucocyanidin; methyl-salicylate; proanthocyanidins; ursolic and stearic acids. The latex contains an alkaloid, cowleyin.

Reforestation

Cecropia trees are common in the rainforest - and in the tropical dry forest as well.  The trees are often seen along the roadsides as well. They are related to the mulberry tree.  

They often invade disturbed areas (hence their presence on roadsides) and are considered a pioneer species.  They don't do well in the shade; in the rainforest they depend on the appearance of openings due to treefalls, landslides, fires, etc.  

They are very quick-growing and shed the lower limbs (this shedding epiphytes as well).  In addition to the ants, the Cecropia trees have a number of chemical defenses including latex ducts (which gum up the mouthparts of feeding insects) and tannins.