Botanical Name
Senna occidentalis (L.) Link
Family
Synonyms
Cassia occidentalis L., Cassia occidentalis (L.) Rose, Cassia obliquifolia Schrank, Cassia macradenia Collad., Cassia foetida Pers., Cassia falcata L., Cassia ciliata Raf., Cassia caroliniana Walter, Cassia planisiliqua L., Cassia planisiliqua Burm. f., Ditramexa occidentalis Britton & Rose, Ditremexa occidentalis (L.) Britton & Wilson.
Regional Name
English: , Coffee Senna, Septicweed, Hindi : Barikasaumdi, Barikasondi, Chakunda, Kasaumdi, Kasonda, Kasondi, Sanskrit : Arimarda, Dipana, Jarana, Kalankata, Kasaghna, Kasamara, Kasamarda, Kannada : Dodda Thagachi, Doddatagace, Doddatagache, Malayalam: Karintakara, Mattantakara, Narrantakara, Natatagara, Marathi : Kasivda, Kasoda, Tamil : Kattuccena, Kattuttakarai, Narattantakarai, Narrantakarai, Telugu : Kasinda, Kasindha, Kasinta, Kasintha,
Part Used
Seed & Whole Plant.
Description
It is globally distributed in the Pantropics. Within India, it is found throughout as a weed in waste places and near dwellings growing up to an altitude of 1500 m. in northern India. It is an unarmed slender upright and short-lived (annual or biennial) shrub, 0.5-2.5 m tall, distinguished by foetid odour. Its once-compound leaves consist of 3-7 pairs of leaflets (2-10 cm long and 2-3 cm wide) that have pointed tips. A mounded gland at base of leaf stalk, no glands between leaflets. There is a conspicuous dark-colored gland near the base of the stalk of each leaf.
Phytoconstituents
Its Pericarp contains : C-flavonosides of apigenin; Flowers: emodin,physcion and its Beta-glucopyranoside; Seeds: chrysolein, linoleic, linolenic and oleic acids, campesterol, 8-carbomethoxy-1, 7-dihydroxy-3-methylxanthone (cassiollin-pinselin), helminthosporin, islandicin, xanthorin, N-methyl morpholine, tannic acid and toxalbumin, Leaves: aloe-emodin, bianthraquinone, chrysophanol, dianthronic heterosides, rhein and potassium chelidonate; Roots: chrysophenol, emodin, physcion, 1,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxycarbony-1-3-methylxanthone and Beta-sitosterol.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa : Tikta-bitter, Madhura-sweet, Guna : Laghu-light to digest, Ruksha-Dryness, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Ushna, Tikasna, Prabhava, Vrushya.
Ayurvedic Applications
Jwara, Kushta, Arsha, Raktadosha-blood impurity such as acne, skin diseases, bleeding disorders, Sotha, Kasa.
Medicinal Uses
It is used in the treatment of a whooping cough, colds, eczema, dyspepsia, throat inflammation, asthma, bronchitis, fever, convulsion, flu and against poisonous snake bites. Seeds and leaves are applied externally in skin diseases and treating piles. It is also useful in treating filariasis, haemorrhoids, gout, laxative, rheumatism, diabetes, rheumatism, hypertension, dropsy, biliousness and ringworm.