Sunday, March 15, 2009

Cassia alata L.


English Name : Candelabra plant, Candle bush, Candlestick senna

Family : Fabaceae

Origin : Tropical Americas

Description
Coarse erect shrub to 3-4 m tall; leaves to about 50-80 cm long, with 8-14 pairs of large leaflets (the distal ones largest), up to 17 cm long, ovate-oblong, obtuse, truncate, or even slightly notched at apex, subsessile; inflorescence a long-pedunculate erect dense oblong spike, the yellow flowers crowded and overlapping; pod ripening black, straight, papery in texture, winged on the angles (2), up to 15-20 cm long and slightly over 1 cm wide; seeds numerous (to 60), flat.

Habitat
Roadsides and waste land, and sometimes troublesome in pasture

Parts Used : Leaves, bark

Herb Effects
Anthelmintic (seeds); diuretic and purgative; abortifacient (leaves)

Active Ingredients
Aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, emodin, rhein (plant); beta-sitosterol (root); chrysarobin, tannin (leaf).

Medicinal Use
To treat fungal infections such as ringworm (leaves or sap); for uterus disorders (roots); for skin infections (leaves); for bronchitis and dyspnoea, mouthwash in stomatitis, alleviation of asthma symptoms, to expel intestinal parasites and other stomach problems.

Dosage
Infusion: 1 cup twice daily.
Tincture: 2-3 ml twice daily.

Reference

No comments: