Cassia fistula

Cassia fistula L.

Local name: Sondal.

English Name: Golden shower, Indian laburnum.

Family:  Caesalpiniaceae

Habitat: Cassia fistula probably originates from India and Sri Lanka, but is now pantropical. The medicinal use of Cassia fistula dates from ancient times and has been the main factor in its spread. It is now widespread in East Africa and several of the Indian Ocean islands.

Plant Description: Cassia fistula is a tree growing from 20 to 40 feet high, with many spreading branches toward the summit. The wood is hard and heavy. The leaves pinnate, alternate, from 12 to 18 inches long, and deciduous; the leaflets opposite or nearly so, from 4 to 8 pairs, the lower ones broad-ovate, smooth, obtuse, or emarginate, polished on both sides, on short, round petioles, from 2 to 6 inches long, and from 1 1/2 to 3 broad. The flowers are large, fragrant, bright-yellow, and borne on long, slender, smooth pedicels. The racemes are axillary, pendulous, simple, and 1 or 2 feet long. The calyx is composed of 5 nearly equal, oblong, obtuse, smooth sepals. The corolla consists of 5 petals, which are oval, unequal, concave, spreading, and waved. The 3 lower filaments, much longer than the others, have a double curve, but no swelling.

Plant parts used: Leaves, Flowers, Roots, Seeds.

                                               

Chemical constituents:

  

The seeds are rich in glycerides with linoleic, oleic,fistulic, stearic and palmitic acids and trace amounts of caprylic and myristic acids.The seeds are also rich in cephalin and lecithin phospholipids and carbohydrates.The bark contains lupeol, β-sitosterol and hexacosanol.The fruit tissue contains a substantial amount of potassium, calcium, iron and manganese.In addition, the in vivo and in vitro extracts of Cassia fistula are rich in polyphenolics and the secondary metabolites are consisted of anthraquinones, flavonoids and flavan-3-ol derivatives, sennoside A, sennoside B and many others.

Medicinal and Traditional Uses:

It is very effective in healing wounds, tumors, arthritic affected joint pains when pulp of the fruit is applied on the joint. Gargling with the decoction helps in relieving from mouth related disorders and throat infection. Application of the paste of leaves is very effective in treating. Decoction is very effective treating constipation as it acts as mild laxative. It also helps in indigestion. It is effective in suppressing pain and reduces inflammation.

Paste of pulp and flower is good treating respiratory tract disease, cough and asthmatic attacks as it soothes the tract. It also helps in relieving the burning sensation in the body. Powder from bark of the roots is consumed to get relief from arthritic condition prevailing in the body. It also acts as diuretic. It is also very effective in treating fever especially black water fever.