Description of Cassia Fistula :
It is a medium sized deciduous tree that reaches the height of about 25 to 30 feet. The bark is of reddish brown in color. Leaves are alternate, pinnate, 1 to 1.5 feet long and possess pairs of four to eight ovate leaflets about 7 to 15 centimeter long and nearly 2.5 to 3 centimeter broad. This entire petiole is about 3 to 7 millimeter long. It bears yellow colored flowers. That droops down depending upon the length of the racemes. The fruit beared by the amaltas tree is pendulous, cylindrical, brown and septate having a length of 25 to 45 centimeters and possess a diameter of 1 to 3 centimeters. It has within it about 30 to 100 seeds. Seeds are lenticular with red-brownish texture. Tree sheds its leaves in March and April. Fruits arise by rainy season.
Chemical Constituents:
Amaltas seed contains 24 % proteins, 51 % carbohydrates and about 4.5 % fats. Flowers contain various organic substances like ceryl alcohol, kaempferol, rhein and bianthroquinone glycoside. Leaves possess organics like rhein, rheinglucoside and sennoside. The fruit pulp contains anthraquinone, glucose 60%, alkoloids, gkutin, pectin, calcium, oxalates, certain acids and water. Stem bark contains lupeol, beta sitosterol and hexacosanol. It also contains tannins which are about 10 to 20 %. Besides all these the root bark contains flovefin and anthraquinone. Leaves and flowers have glycosides.
Medicinal Uses:
Roots are astringent, cooling, purgative, febrifuge and tonic. it is useful in skin diseases, burning sensations and syphilis. Bark is laxative, anthelmintic, emetic, febrifuge, diuretic and depurative. It is useful in boils, leprosy, ringworm affection, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, diabetes, strangury and cardiac problems. Leaves are laxative, antiperiodic and depurative. It is useful in skin diseases, burning sensation, dry cough and bronchitis. Fruits are sweet, cooling, purgative, carminative, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and ophthalmic. It is used in flatulence, colic, dysentery, inflammations and intermittent fever. It is also used in cardiac disorders, strangury, opthalmopathy and general debility. Pulp from fruits called “Cassia Pulp” is a well known Laxative. Bark of tree is rich in tannins. Flowers are bitter, acrid, cooling, emollient, purgative and are useful in vitiated condition of pitta, burning sensation, leprosy and skin diseases. It is also useful in cardiac disorders, intermittent fever and general debility.
