Unani Chaaksu.
Siddha/Tamil Muulaipalyirai, Kaattukollu.
Folk Ban Kulathi.
Action Seed—bitter, blood-purifier, astringent, stimulant, diuretic. Used topically for leucoderma, ringworm, venereal ulcers and other skin
diseases. Roots—purgative.
Seeds gave sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside and alkaloids—chaksine and isochaksine. Chaksine is found to be antibacterial against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus and Streptococcus haemolyticus. It stimulates contraction of different tissues of plain muscles, like uterus, intestine, bladder, and muscles in blood vessels. It depresses the parasympathetic nerve- endings of certain organs like intestine
and bladder. Chaksine has ganglionblocking property. Chaksine and isochaksine possess a local anaesthetic effect intradermally. It produces a sustained fall in blood pressure of anaesthetized animals and produces a weak anti-acetylcholine effect. Roots also contains anthraquinones and aloeemodin.
Dosage Seed—3—6 g powder. (CCRAS.)
Cassia alata Linn.
Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat Native to the West Indies. Found wild almost throughout
India.
English Ringworm Cassia.
Ayurvedic Dadrughna, Dadrumardana.
Siddha Malanthakerai, Seemai agathi (Tamil).
Folk Daadmaari.
Action Leaf—used in skin diseases like herpes, blotch, eczema, mycosis (washerman’s itch). Dried leaves— in leprosy. A strong decoction is
used for ringworm, eczema and herpes. Leaves are also used as a purgative.
Young pods contain rhein, emodin and aloe-emodin. The antibacterial activity of the leaves is reported to be due to rhein. The roots contain anthraquinone. Emodin, aloe-emodin and anthraquinone contribute to the purgative activity of the leaves and roots. Crushed leaves or roots are
Cassia auriculata Linn. 127
rubbed on to the skin to cure ringworm and to control Tinea imbricata, a skin fungus.
Cassia angustifolia Vahi. Synonym C. senna Linn. var. senna. Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat Native to Sudan and Arabia. Now cultivated mainly in Tirunelveli and Ramnathpuram districts
