Botanical Name: Cassia tora
Sanskrit: Edagaja, Dadrughna,
Chakramarda
Assamese: Kulb
Bengali: Chavuka, Chakunda, Panevar,
Chakunda
English: Ring Worm Plant, Fetid
Cassia, Fetid Senna, Sickle Senna, Wild Senna
Gujarati: Kovaraya
Hindi: Chakunda, Pavand, Punwad,
Punwadia, Chakavar, , Pamad, Panevar
Kannada: Tagache, Thagache,
Thagatthe
Malayalam:
Marathi: Tankala
Punjabi: Panwal, Chakunda, Chakwad
Tamil:
Telugu: Tagiris
Urdu: Panwar
Synonyms: Senna tora Roxb, Senna
tortoides Roxb, Cassia obtusifolia, Cassia foetida Salisb, Cassia humilis
Collad., Cassia gallineria Collad, Cassia tortoides Roxb.
Cassia tora is a small erect shrub,
about 1 m tall, commonly found growing wild on roadsides. It is widely
spreading with numerous ascending branches. The compound leaves are arranged
spirally and usually have three pairs of symmetrically egg-shaped leaflets up
to 2 inches long. One to three yellow flowers appear on short axillary stems.
The linear pods grow to 8 inches long, curve downward and contain many shiny,
angular seeds. It occurs abundantly in open pastures, and is very common on
roadsides and wasteland. In organic farms of India, Stinking Cassia is used as
natural pesticide. Cassia tora or Senna tora occurs throughout the tropics,
including India Sri Lanka and Philippines. It mainly grows as a weed on road
sides and waste ground in the dry regions.
Medicinal Uses of Cassia tora
The whole plant of Cassia tora is of
medicinal importance. The leaves are laxative and purgative due to which they
are useful in habitual constipation and haemorrhoids. The seeds have
anti-parasitic properties. The paste of seeds is applied topically on ringworms
and scabies. The decoction of whole plant is given as a vermifuge and
purgative.
Medicinal uses:
It is nutritive and toxin remover.
It is indicated in skin diseases and respiratory allergy. The leaves of plant
are used in the treatment of Malaria, ring worm, chronic inflammation of the
skin and other skin diseases.
1- Erysipelas, eczema
Erysipelas: It is an acute,
sometimes recurrent disease caused by a bacterial infection, characterized by
large raised red patches on the skin.
Eczema: It is condition in which
patches of skin become rough and inflamed with blisters which cause itching and
bleeding.
Leaf paste is applied. Root paste
with lime juice is applied.
2- Blood dysentery, diarrhoea
Leaf juice mixed with salt is given.
3- Scabies, itches
Plant paste with buttermilk is
applied. Or Leaf decoction is used as a wash.
4- Carbuncles, warts
Root paste with lime juice is
applied. Or Hot leaf paste is applied.
5- Bee sting
Pounded leaf is applied topically.
6- Ring worm, scabies
Seed paste with buttermilk is
applied.
7- Fever
Leaf decoction is given.
8- Pus release from furuncles
Hot leaf paste is applied.
9- Intestinal Parasites
Plant decoction is given.
10- Cough
Leaf juice is given.
11- Menstrual disorders
Whole plant decoction is given.
12- Psoriasis
Leaf juice is applied topically.
13- Eczema
The paste made of Cassia tora with
milk or the paste of the roots is applied.
14- Blood purifier
The dried root of Cassia tora is a
good purifier of blood and a tonic. The very fine powder of the root is given
in doses of 3-4 grams every morning mixed with 30ml of ghee and 7ml powdered
sugar.
19- Leucoderma
The paste made of equal parts of
Cassia tora + sandalwood + camphor with buttermilk is applied topically. Or The paste made of equal parts of the seeds of
Cassia tora (chakund) and neem berries is applied topically.
Contraindication warnings of Cassia
tora
It is safe to take Cassia tora, in
low dosage for a short term period. Do not take in excess dosage. In excess it
has many ill-effects, such as lower RBCs, reduced weight and water intake. In
males it may cause, reduced sperm count. It may cause loose motions. It may
have mild diuretic effect.
Please note, this herb should not be
taken for long term period.
