Cassia fistula

Scientific name: Cassia fistula L.

Botanical family: FABACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Saint Lucia:

golden shower
kas

Martinique:

kas

Other vernacular names

Haiti:

kas dou

Martinique:

kas, casse

Geographical distribution

Native to tropical Asia, widely cultivated in all the tropical regions.

Botanical description

Tree of up to 20 m in height, smooth greyish bark. Composite glabrous leaves, over 35 cm; 4 to 8 pairs of folioles, oblong, obovate or rounded, 7 to 20 cm, glabrous, with a shiny bright green upper surface, pale on the underside, chartaceous. Yellow flowers grouped in bright and colourful axillary racemes; rounded sepals; yellow petals of 1.5 cm, with prominent dark veins. Fruit, subcylindrical, woody, brown - ochre pod, 8 to 15 cm.

Brown seeds, flattened, covered with a sticky pulp.

Voucher(s)

Longuefosse, 38, HAVPM
Veloz, 3011, JBSD
Ocampo, 7544, JVR

For constipation:
prepare a decoction or an aqueous maceration with 20 to 40 grams of fruit pulp.

For decoctions, boil in 2 cups (1 / 2 litre) of water for 10 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup in the morning on an empty stomach.

For maceration, add the pulp to 2 cups (1 / 2 litre) of boiled water, leave to rest for 12 hours and drink 1 cup
on an empty stomach in the morning.

For inflammation:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of shoots (young leaves) in 1 litre of water, boil for 5 minutes. Cool and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

TRAMIL Work²²
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (decoction) of fresh shoots (5 g/kg/5 days) was administered orally to NGP mice (5 males and 5 females) with an observation period of 7 days; no deaths or signs of toxicity occurred.

TRAMIL Work²³
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves (5 g/ kg/5 days), orally in Hsd:ICR mice, 5 males, 5 females and the control with distilled and deionised water (0.5 ml/20 g), with
an observation period of 12 days, did not show mortality, or any obvious signs of toxicity.

The ethanolic extract (95%) from fresh leaves (500 to 2500 mg/kg/7 days and /45 days), orally in Wistar albino rats (180 ± 10 g), 2 groups of 6 males, did not present mortality, obvious
signs of toxicity or liver histopathology²⁴.

The dried fruit (8.0 g/kg) orally in rabbits did not cause visible signs of toxicity²⁵.

Different alcoholic extracts (100%) from the dried flowers, fruit, leaves and stems (200 mg/kg), orally in pregnant rats, did not show any abortive or anti-implantation effects²⁶.

The LD50 of the pod infusion (25 mg, 0.5 and 1 g/kg for 6 weeks) intraperitoneally in 28 Wistar albino rats (180-240 g), was 6600 mg/kg without any pathological effect on the organs examined microscopically²⁷.

The extract with 1-heptanol from dried leaves (400 mg/kg), orally in rats in the carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity model, showed antihepatotoxic activity²⁸. The dried leaf extract with n- heptane with the same route and dose in rats of both sexes inhibited paracetamol-induced hepatoxicity²⁹.

Consumption of the whole plant can cause intoxication with manifestations of: nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, sore mouth, drowsiness, delirium and diarrhoea.
Treatment is usually with ipecacuanha (Cephaelis ipecacuanha) as an emetic^3,30.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

TRAMIL Work⁴

The decoction (freeze-dried) of both fresh ripe leaves and fresh sprouts contains anthraquinones: rhein, however the presence of sennosides A and B was not detected in a comparative study carried out on thin-layer chromatography.

The leaf contains anthraquinones: rhein, rhein glycoside⁵, sennoside A and B⁶, chrysophanic acid, physcion⁷; flavonoids: (-) epiafzelechin and derivatives, (-) epicatechin and derivatives⁸, quercetin, 4'-methoxyquercetin⁹, astragalin,clitorin, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-neohesperidoside¹⁰; phenylpropanoids: ρ-coumaric acid⁹; alkanes¹¹; the main component of the essential oil of the leaf is phytol¹².

Proximal analysis of 100 g of the dry leaf¹³: proteins: 17.6%; fat: 7.8%; carbohydrates: 66.8%; fibre: 30.2%; ash: 7.8%; calcium: 3270 mg; phosphorus: 330 mg.

The fruit pulp contains anthraquinonic glycosides: sennidine, sennoside A and B^11,14, rhein and its glycoside, barbaloin, aloin, formic acid, butyric acid and its ethyl esters, oxalic acid, presence of pectin, tannins, an isoflavone¹², biochanin A¹⁵, the sterol clerosterol¹⁶, 5-nonatetracontanone, 2-hentriacontanone, triacontane, 16-hentriacontanone, beta-sitosterol¹².

Proximal analysis of 100 g of the dry fruit: moisture 60.4%, protein 5.8%, nitrogen 0.93%, ash 5.6%, energy (fruit) 4.25 kcal/g¹², calcium 827 mg, iron, manganese, amino acids: aspartic acid, glutamic acid and lysine, these constituting 15.3, 13.0, and 7.8% of the total amino acids of the pulp¹⁷; in addition, there are sugars, tannic material, starch and calcium oxalate¹².

The ethanolic leaf and fruit extract (70%) in vitro was active against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and S. albus¹⁸.

The aqueous extract (decoction, 10%) from the fruit pulp (50 mg of pulp/animal), orally in mice, had a laxative effect in the 4 hours after administration¹⁹.

The aqueous extract (infusion) from fresh leaves (175 to 500 mg/kg), orally in 15 Wistar rats, had a laxative effect²⁰.

The freeze-dried methanolic leaf extract (200 mg/kg), intraperitoneally in male rats, in carrageenan, histamine or dextran-induced oedema models, showed anti-inflammatory activity²¹.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

2 JEAN-PIERRE L, 1988
TRAMIL survey. St Lucia national herbarium, Castries, St Lucia.

3 GRUENWALD J, BRENDLER T, JAENICKE C, 2004
Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines, Third Edition. Montvale, NJ, USA: Thomson Healthcare, Inc. 988pp.

4 SOLIS PN, VASQUEZ Y, AYALA H, GUPTA MP, 2002
Informe de validación de algunas plantas TRAMIL. Fase III. Informe TRAMIL. Centro de Investigaciones Farmacognósticas de la Flora Panameña CIFLORPAN, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Panamá, Panamá, Panamá.

5 KAJI NN, KHORANA ML, SANGHAVI MM, 1968
Studies on Cassia fistula Linn. Indian J Pharmacy 30:8-11.

6 ASSELEIH LMC, HERNANDEZ OH, SANCHEZ JR, 1990
Seasonal variations in the content of sennosides in leaves and pods of two Cassia fistula populations. Phytochemistry 29(10):3095-3099.

7 MAHESH VK, SHARMA R, SINGH RS, UPADHYA SK, 1984
Anthraquinones and kaempferol from Cassia species section fistula. J Nat Prod 47(4):733-751.

8 MORIMOTO S, NONAKA GI, CHEN RF, NISHIOKA I, 1988
Tannins and related compounds. LXI. Isolation and structures of novel biand triflavanoids from the leaves of Cassia fistula L. Chem Pharm Bull 36(1):39-47.

9 ABRAHAM KJ, DANIEL M, SABNIS SD, 1988
Phytoalexins of Cassia fistula Linn. and Morinda tomentosa Heyne. Natl Acad Sci Lett (India) 11(4):101-102.

10 KAPADIA GJ, KHORANA ML, 1962
Active constituents of Cassia fistula pulp. II. Combined 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone derivatives. Lloydia 25(1)59-64.

11 SELVARAJ Y, CHANDER SM, 1978
Senna: its chemistry, distribution and pharmaceutical value. J Indian Inst Sci 60:179-196.

12 DANISH M, SINGH P, MISHRA G, SRIVASTAVA S, JHA KK, KHOSA RL, 2011
Cassia fistula Linn. (amulthus) - An important medicinal plant: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties. J Nat Prod Plant Resour 1(1):101-118.

13 DUKE JA, ATCHLEY AA, 1986
Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press, p37.

14 KAPADIA GJ, KHORANA ML, 1962
Active constituents of Cassia fistula pulp. I. Colorimetric estimation of free rhein and combined sennidin-like compouds. Lloydia 25(1):55-58.

15 SARTORELLI P, CARVALHO CS, REIMÃO JQ, FERREIRA MJ, TEMPONE AG, 2009
Antiparasitic activity of biochanin A, an isolated isoflavone from fruits of Cassia fistula (Leguminosae). Parasitol Res 104(2):311-314.

16 SARTORELLI P, ANDRADE SP, MELHEM MS, PRADO FO, TEMPONE AG, 2007
Isolation of antileishmanial sterol from the fruits of Cassia fistula using bioguided fractionation. Phytother Res 21(7):644-647.

17 BARTHAKUR NN, ARNOLD NP, ALLI I, 1995
The Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula L.) fruit: an analysis of its chemical constituents. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 47(1):55-62.

18 ROSS SA, MEGALLA SE, BISHAY DW, AWAD AH, 1980
Studies for determining antibiotic substances in some Egyptian plants. part 1. screening for antimicrobial activity. Fitoterapia 51(6):303-308.

19 IYENGAR MA, PENDSE GS, NARAYANA N, 1966
Bioassay of Cassia fistula L. (aragvadha). Planta Med 14(3):289-301.

20 ABO KA, LASAKI SW, ADEYEMI AA, 1999
Laxative and antimicrobial properties of Cassia species growing in Ibadan. Nig J Nat Prod and Med 3:47-50.

21 BHAKTA T, MUKHERJEE PK, SAHA K, PAL M, SAHA BP, MANDAL SC, 1999
Evaluation of anti-inflammatory effects of Cassia fistula (Leguminosae) leaf extract on rats. J Herbs Spices Med Plants 6(4):67-72.

22 GARCIA GM, COTO MT, GONZALEZ CS, PAZOS L, 1998
Toxicidad aguda en ratones, del extracto acuoso de retoños frescos de Cassia fistula. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Ensayos Biológicos LEBi, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.

23 PAZOS L, COTO T, GONZALEZ S, 2003
Toxicidad oral, aguda en ratones, del extracto acuoso de hojas frescas de Cassia fistula. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Ensayos Biológicos LEBi, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.

24 PRADEEP K, MOHAN CV, GOBIANAND K, KARTHIKEYAN S, 2010
Protective effect of Cassia fistula Linn. on diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocellular damage and oxidative stress in ethanol pretreated rats. Biol Res 43:113-125.

25 AKHTAR MS, 1992
Hypoglycaemic activites of some indigenous medicinal plants traditionally used as antidiabetic drugs. J Pak Med Ass 42(11):271-277.

26 RUNNEBAUM B, RABE T, KIESEL L, PRAKASH AO, 1984
Biological evaluation of some medicinal plant extracts for contraceptive efficacy in females. Future aspects in contraception. Part II. Female Contraception. Boston, USA: MTP Press Ltd:pp115-128.

27 AKANMU MA, IWALEWA EO, ELUJOBA AA, ADELUSOLA KA, 2004
Toxicity potentials of Cassia fistula fruits as laxative with reference to senna. African J of Biomedical Research 7(1):23–26.

28 BHAKTA T, MUKHERJEE PK, MUKHERJEE K, BANERJEE S, MANDAL SC, MAITY TK, PAL M, SAHA BP, 1999
Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of Cassia fistula leaf extract. J Ethnopharmacol 66(3):277-282.

29 BHAKTA T, BANERJEE S, MANDAL C, MAITY TK, SAHA BP, PAL M, 2001
Hepatoprotective activity of Cassia fistula leaf extract. Phytomedicine 8(3):220-224.

30 BRAMLEY A, GOULDING R, 1981
Laburnum “poisoning”. Brit Med J (Clin Res Ed) 283(6301):1220-1221.

Warnings

According to the information available:

The use of the fruit pulp and fresh leaves in decoction taken orally for constipation is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if the constipation persists for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

Do not take laxatives or purgatives in case of intestinal obstruction or abdominal pain.

Do not use in cases of appendicitis or acute inflammation of the intestine³.

Traditional use for inflammation is classified in the REC category based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the toxicity studies. We do not have an appropriate experimental model to validate the pharmacological activity to support this traditional use.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 10 years.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Cassia fistula

Vernacular names

Saint Lucia:

Martinique:

Haiti:

Martinique:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Warnings

Disclaimer