Botanical Name: Cassia Fistula
Family Name: Caesulpinaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Sub-class: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Sub-family: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Cassieae
Sub-tribe: Cassiinae
Genus: Cassia
Species: C. fistula
Popular Names: Indian Laburnum, Purging Fistula, Golden Shower, Amaltas, Canafistula, Gurmala, Baton Casse, Chacara, Samyaka, Klober
Parts Used: Fruits, leaves, bark
Habitat: Grows in valleys up to 1200 m in the Himalayas
Description
Also known as the ‘Golden Tree’, Indian laburnum is a medium-sized tree that grows to a height of about 10 to 20 metres. The tropical ornamental tree has hard reddish and heavy wood. Its long and deciduous leaves have pinnate leaflets, with 3 to 8 pairs in each leaf. The flowers are bright and yellow, 20 to 40 cm in length, with five petals of equal shape and size. The fruit is long, while the legumes are around 30-60 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm broad. It has a pungent odour and several seeds that are poisonous.
Commonly known as the ‘Golden Shower tree’, Indian laburnum is the national tree of Thailand. It is also the state flower of Kerala, a state in South India. It is spread all across Southern Asia, right from southern areas Pakistan to Myanmar and through India to Sri Lanka. The tree is known as bendra lathi or dhanbaher in Hindi, amaltas in Urdu, bahava in Marathi, aragvadha or chaturangula in Sanskrit and konrai in Tamil.
Plant Chemicals
(+)- anthraquinones, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, carbohydrates, fistulic acid, rhein, rheinglucoside, galactomannan, sennosides A and B, tannin, phlobaphenes, oxyanthraquinone substances, emodin, chrysophanic acid, fistuacacidin, barbaloin, lupeol, beta-sitosterol, hexacosanol.
Uses and Benefits of Indian Laburnum
- The roots of Indian laburnum are useful in treating skin diseases, alleviating burning sensations and curing syphilis.
- The bark is rich in tannin and thus, used in ailments like boils, leprosy, ringworm affection, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, diabetes, strangury and cardiac problems.
- The leaves are helpful in treating skin diseases, burning sensation, dry cough and bronchitis.
- The fruits of Indian laburnum are handy in curing flatulence, colic, dysentery, inflammations and intermittent fever.
- Since its flowers have cooling, purgative and emollient properties, they are used in vitiated conditions of pitta, leprosy and skin diseases.
- Indian laburnumis employed as a remedy for tumours of the abdomen, glands, liver, stomach and throat.
- The herb proves useful for treating cancer, convulsions, delirium, diarrhoea, dysuria, epilepsy, gravel, hematuria and pimples.
- The fruits are employed in the treatment of cardiac disorders, strangury, opthalmopathy and general debility.
- Indian laburnumhas anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, laxative, mild estrogenic, anti-tumorous, cholesterol lowering, pain relieving and fever reducing actions.
Caution
The leaves and bark of Indian laburnum can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and cramps, when consumed in large doses.
