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CANAFISTULA
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Cassia
Species: fistula
Common names: Canafistula, Golden Shower, Indian Laburnum, Purging Fistula, Baton Casse, Ch'Ang Kuo Tzu Shu, Chacara, Nanban-Saikati, Samyaka, Sember Hiyari Agaci, Kachang kayu (Woody bean), Kallober, Keyok, Klober, Klohur
Parts Used: Fruit, Leaves, Bark
DESCRIPTION
Properties/Actions:
 Aperient, Analgesic, Antiviral, Astringent, Choleretic, Febrifuge, Hypoglycemic, Hypercholesterolaemic, Laxative, Purgative, Vermifuge
Phytochemicals:
COUNTRY ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES
Dominican Republic
 Laxative, Vermifuge
Elsewhere
 Aperient, Constipation, Flu, Fumitory, Laxative, Purgative, Tumor(Glands)
India
 Burn, Cancer, Convulsion, Delirium, Diarrhea, Dysuria, Epilepsy, Gravel, Hematuria, Pimple, Syphilis
Java
 Carbuncle, Dermatosis, Herpes, Purgative, Wound
Panama
 Diabetes
Venezuela
 Astringent, Laxative, Purgative
This is a medium-sized, deciduous tree of about 10 meters tall. Leaves are compound, with 4-8 pairs of opposite leaflets. Flowers are golden yellow and in hanging bunches of up to 40 cm long. They appear when the branches are bare, just before the new leaves emerge. Fruits are woody, cylindrical pods, up to 50 cm long, becoming blackish with maturity. It is native to India, the Amazon and Sri Lanka, now popularly planted as an ornamental tree.

NOTE: In large doses, the leaves and bark can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and cramps.

Quoted References

From Medicinal Plants Information of Orissa (India):
Local Names: Sunari (Oriya), Druhelumrahanu (Kandha), Dupunadali (Kandha), Hari (Munda), Pepenaeja (Santal)
Description of the Plant: Medium sized tree. Flowers light yellow. Flowers in April / June. Pods during June / August. Fairly common in the forests.
Plant Parts Used: Root / Stem / Bark / Leaf / Fruit / Seed.
Healthcare Properties:
  1. Boils: Boil 100 g leaves of Cassia fistula in 3 kg of water till 250 g of decoction remains. Apply the decoction once a day after taking bath. Continue until the boils are cured. (H-4) [OR-4-2-180]
  2. Blood dysentery: Grind together the root of Cassia fistula and the root of Holarrhena antidysenterica and extract the juice from ground root. Filter it. Take 4 teaspoonful of this juice once a day for two days. (D-2) [OR-3-2-225]
  3. Burning sensation while urination: Grind the leaves of Cassia fistula to make paste. Apply the paste on the naval before going to bed at night only once. (S-6) [OR-2-3-1499]
  4. Cough: Grind together one fruit each of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica and Emblica officinalis with 10 g dried ginger, 1 piece of Piper longum and 10 leaves of Cassia fistula to make paste. Prepare 30 pills out of this paste. Take one pill as a dose thrice a day for 10 days. (L-3) [OR-4-2-166] (OR) Grind the bark of Cassia fistula and extract juice. Take 20 ml of this juice and massage the residue on the chest. (B-29) [OR-2-1-1158]
  5. Constipation: Grind the seeds of the Cassia fistula to make paste. Take 5 g of the paste orally with warm water only once. Then take stale rice water to check motion. (S-6) [OR-2-3-1194]
  6. Eczema: Grind the tender leaves of Cassia fistula with stale rice water to make paste. Before applying the paste, wash the affected area properly. Apply the paste on the affected area twice a day for 7 days in case of children. (P-12) [OR-1-2-266]
  7. Ringworm: Grind the tender leaves of Cassia fistula to make a paste. Before applying the paste on the ringworm, rub the affected area to get good result. Then apply the paste on the ringworm as an ointment. (B-19) [OR-1-2-246]
  8. Pain in ribs: Grind 20 g root of Cassia fistula with 21 black pepper to make paste. Make three pills out of the paste. Take one pill in the morning once a day for three days. (S-23) [OR-3-3-253]
  9. Rheumatism: Grind the leaves of Cassia fistula to make paste and smear the paste on joints. Smear twice a day for 2 to 3 days. (B-3) [OR-3-2-46]
  10. Skin diseases: Grind the leaves of Cassia fistula to extract juice. Apply the juice on the affected skin after properly washing the affected area. Continue treatment till it cures. (B-3) [OR-3-2-46]
  11. Snakebite: Chew and eat the root of Cassia fistula soon after snakebite.
    (R-14) [OR-3-3-161]
  12. Spleen disease: Grind two fruits (without exocarp) of Cassia fistula to make paste. Then smear the paste on the belly twice a day for two days. (R-14) [OR-3-3-161]
  13. Tumour: Grind the root of Cassia fistula to make paste. Apply the paste on the tumour twice a day for three days. (R-14) [OR-3-3-161]
  14. Tonsil: Extract the septum of the fruit of Cassia fistula and smear it on the lower side of cheek to cure from the swelling of root of the ear due to cold.
    (B-5) [OR-4-2-317]
  15. Typhoid: Grind together the seeds of Cassia fistula, root of Mimosa pudica, root of Shyamnai, root of Gada and root of Rauvolfia serpentina to make paste. Take 10 g as a dose thrice a day for 7 days. (P-6) [OR-4-2-38]
  16. Worm infection (paediatric) : Grind the sun-dried fruit of Cassia fistula to make powder. Give one teaspoonful of the powder to expel intestinal worms. One dose a day for three days.
Clinical References
  1. Barthakur NN, et al. The Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula L.) fruit: an analysis of its chemical constituents. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 1995 Jan; 47(1): 55-62.
  2. Assane M, et al. [Choleretic effects of Cassia alata Linn in the rat]. Dakar Med. 1993; 38(1): 73-77. French.
  3. Esposito Avella M, et al. [Evaluation of traditional medicine: effects of Cajanus cajan L. and of Cassia fistula L. on carbohydrate metabolism in mice]. Rev Med Panama. 1991 Jan; 16(1): 39-45. Spanish.
  4. el-Saadany SS, et al. The biochemical role and hypocholesterolaemic potential of the legume Cassia fistula in hypercholesterolaemic rats. Nahrung. 1991; 35(8): 807-815.
  5. Babbar OP, et al. Studies on the possibilities to infect the cells of callus of Cassia fistula by an animal virus & induce production of interferon-like antiviral factor(s). Indian J Exp Biol. 1981 Apr; 19(4): 349-355.
  6. Lal J, et al. Galactomannan from the seeds of Cassia fistula. Planta Med. 1972 Aug; 22(1): 70-77.
  7. Agrawal GD, et al. Structure of fistulic acid, a new colouring matter from the pods of Cassia fistula. Planta Med. 1972 Mar; 21(2): 150-155. Iyengar MA, et al. Bioassay of Cassia fistula. L. (Aragvadha). Planta Med. 1966 Aug; 14(3): 289-301.
  8. Patel DG, et al. Antipyretic and analgesic activities of Aconitum spicatum and Cassia fistula. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1965 Sep; 157(1): 22-27.
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