Cassia fistula L.

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 80-81

Cassia fistula L.

Names.

Myanmar: mai-lum, ngu, ngu-shwe, ngushwe-ama, ngu pin, gawhgu (Kachin), ka-zo (Kayin). English: golden shower tree, Indian laburnum, pudding pipe tree, purging cassia.

Range.

India, Sri Lanka. Grows naturally all over Myanmar; prefers a hot and humid climate but also does well in hot and dry climates; can be found and cultivated up to 1220 m altitude; also grown as ornamental trees.

Uses.

Whole plant: The five parts - roots, bark, fruit, flower, and leaf - are mixed with water to form a paste and applied to ringworm, scabies, and skin disorders stemming from impurities in the blood. Leaf: Sweet yet bitter with a strong taste, act as a laxative. The tender leaves can be made into a soup and taken for constipation. Heated leaves are used as a poultice over swollen joints. Liquid from leaves stone-ground with vinegar is applied to treat leprosy and other skin diseases. Juice from crushed leaves is applied liberally as a remedy for herpes facialis. Fruit: Used as a laxative. Stimulates the tastebuds, alleviates leprosy, and controls phlegm. The pulp is taken either alone or mixed with an equal amount of tamarind ( Tamarindus indica ) fruit pulp to promote regular bowel movements. Paste from pulp is applied around the navel of infants to alleviate colic and bloated stomach; for others, the pulp paste is rubbed onto the navel to treat urinary disorders, pain around the urethra and during urination, and blood in the urine. Liquid from boiling the pulp is used as eardrops to clear infections. Root: Used as a purgative. Milk in which roots have been boiled is taken as a remedy for flatulence.

Notes.

Medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in Jain and DeFilipps (1991). Chemical constituents, pharmacological action, and medicinal use of this species in Indian Ayurveda are discussed in detail by Kapoor (1990). Medicinal uses of this species in China are discussed by Duke and Ayensu (1985).

The chemistry, pharmacology, history, and medicinal uses of this species in Latin America are discussed in detail by Gupta (1995). Details of the active chemical compounds, effects, herbal usage, and pharmacological literature of this plant are given in Fleming (2000). C. fistula bark, leaves and seeds contain chrysarobin, an irritant and allergen ( Lan et al. 1998).

References.

Nordal (1963), Agricultural Corporation (1980), Forest Department (1999).