Cassia Tora
Botanical Name(s): Cassia Tora
Family Name: Caesulpinaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Cassieae
Sub-tribe: Cassiinae
Genus: Cassia
Species: S. tora
Popular Name(s): Foetid Cassia, Tora, Sickle Senna, Wild Senna, Sickle Pod, Coffee Pod, Tovara, Chakvad, Ringworm Plant
Parts Used: Leaves, seeds, roots
Habitat: Grows in warm moist soil throughout tropical parts of India.
Description
An annual foetid herb, with a height of 30 to 90 cm, Cassia Tora is mainly found in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, in India. It has pinnate leaves, which are about 10 cm long. Each leaf has three pairs of leaflets that are opposite, ovate, oblong and oblique at the base. The yellow-colored flowers are bearded in the axel of the leaves. The flowers comprises of five petals, each about half inch in diameter.
The seeds of Cassia Tora are rhombohedral and brown in color, about 30 to 50 in number. The plant bears flowers in the rainy season and fruits in the winter. The cassia tora is also known as Charota an Chakvad in Hindi, Chakunda in Bengali & Oriya, Kawaria in Gujarati, Chakramandrakam in Malayalam, Takala in Marathi, Chakramarda & Dadmari in Sanskrit, Tagarai in Tamil and Chinnakasinda in Telugu.
Plant Chemicals
(+)- rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, 7% resins, cathatrine, calcium, iron, phosphorus, 1,3,5-trihydroxy-6-7-dimethoxy-2-methylanthroquinone, beta-sitosterol, naptho-alpha-pyrone-toralactune, chrysophanol, physcion, emodin, rubrofusarin, cchrysophonic acid-9-anthrone, tricontan-1-0l, stigmasterol, b-sitosteral-b-D-glucoside, freindlen, palmitic, stearic, succinic and d-tartaric acids uridine, quercitrin, isoquercitrin.
Uses & Benefits of Cassia Tora
- Cassia Tora is used as a coffee substitute and has a maturing and anodyne action.
- It is very useful in treating skin diseases like ringworm and itching or body scratch and psoriasis.
- The alcoholic or vinegar maceration of pounded fresh leaves is used externally to treat eczema and dermatomycosis.
- Decoction of the fruit of Cassia Tora is used in the treatment of fever.
- Since the herb acts as a kapha and vata dosha suppressant, it acts as a nerve tonic.
- It is consumed in worm infestation and cures the infection occurring in the body.
- Cassia Tora acts as a liver stimulant, mild laxative and heart tonic.
- The herb helps the body in maintaining the normal level of cholesterol.
- Its paste is used for treating skin ailments and also for getting rid of chronic diseases.
- Cassia Tora proves worthwhile in treating piles and hemorrhoids as well as relieving the pain caused on excretion.
- Its powder proves useful in combating indigestion, toning up heart muscles and purifying blood.
- The juice extracted from its leaves is used in case of skin ailments, rashes and allergies. It is also used as an antidote in case of various poisonings.
- The leaves ad seeds of Cassia Tora are useful in leprosy, flatulence, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, cough, bronchitis and cardiac disorders.
