Cassia fistula (Rajbriksha)

This slide gives brief information about medicinal, plant Cassia fistula (rajbriksha). It consist of information about Macroscopy, Chemical constituents and Medicinal uses of Cassia fistula plant................Hope, This will Help You........Have a Wonderful Day....

1. Prepared by: Maheshwor Yadav B. Pharm, 6 th sem Nobel College, Pokhara University August, 2018 CASSIA FISTULA (RAJBRIKSHA)

2. Cassia fistula tree

3. Introduction Cassia fistula is widely grown ornamental profusely yellow flowering tree in tropical area which blooms in late spring. It is the national flower of Thailand It is a popular ornamental plant widely used in herbal medicine. The fruit and seed pulp and root have immense medicinal value. (ref. 2)

4. It is prescribed as emetics, purgatives and relievers of thoracic congestion. It is used in reliving asthma, leprosy, ringworm, fever and heart related diseases.

5. Nomenclature Botanical name : Cassia fistula linn Vernacular names : Nepali – Rajbriksha , Amaltash English - Golden Shower Sanskrit - Aragvadha , Nripadruma Hindi - Sonhali , Amultus Arab - Khayarsambhar (ref. 1)

6. Taxonomic Classification: Kingdom - Plantae Subkingdom - Tracheobinota Super Division - Spermatophyta Division - Mangoliophyta ( Angiospermae ) Class - Magnoliopsida Order - Fabales Family - Fabacae Genus - Cassia Species - fistula (ref. 1)

7. Habitat and Distribution Cassia fistula is a moderate sized deciduous tree 10 m (30 – 40 feet) tall. Cassia fistula grows in Nepal and in many other Asian countries and is used as a traditional herbal medicine in India, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. (ref. 1,2,3)

8. Macroscopic Identification Leaf : The leaves are deciduous and pinnate with 4-8 pairs of ovate leaflets.

9. Contd. Flower : It consist of five bright yellow petals which are widely spaced , about 2 inches wide with 10 stamens

10. Contd. Seeds : Seeds are oval shaped attached with sticky brown pulp.

11. Contd. Fruits : Fruit of Cassia fistula is Pod like , elongated hanging, 12 inch or more in length

12. Chemical Constituents The plant is rich in phenolic antioxidants such as anthraquinones , flavonoids and flavan - 3-ol derivatives. Cassia fistula the results shows positive for alkaloids, terpenoids , reducing sugars, saponins , tannins, carbonyl and steroids. (ref. 4,3)

13. Plant part/organ Secondary metabolite Bark Oxyanthraquinone , D ihydroxyanthraquinone Leaves Epicatechin , procyanidin , B iflavonoids , Triflavonoids , Sennoside A, Sennoside B, Chrysophanol , Physcion , Rhein Flowers Kaempferol , Rhein Fistulin , alkaloids, triterpenes Pods Fistulic acid Seeds Chrysophanol Fruit pulp Rhein , Volatile oil Table 1. Secondary metabolites in C. fistula plant parts

14. Fig. Chemical structures of flavonol derivatives in C. fistula.

15. Fig. Str. of main anthraquinone derivatives

16. Fig. Anthraquinone derivative

17. Ethnomedicinal uses In a study which was carried out to document ethnobotanical informations of some wild plants used by the Tharu community of Parsa district forest area of Nepal, it was found that : The leaves extract is used as antibacterial and antifungal agent. The sweet blackish pulp of the seed is used as a mild laxative. The root decoction has great curative effects against common cold. Leaf juice is used in curing fungal infections of the skin. (ref. 5)

18. Pharmacological actions In Ayurvedic medicine, Golden Shower Tree is known as "disease killer“, because of its wide pharmacological effects which are listed below : Antidiabetic Activity: The antidiabetic activity of the total alcoholic extract & its ethyl acetate fraction of the bark of Cassia fistula in diabetic rats was found in a study. Hepatoprotective Activity: Protective effects of cassia seed ethanol extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice. (ref. 1,3)

19. Hypolipidemic Activity: The effect ethanolic extract of Cassia fistula Linn. Legume was assessed on serum lipid metabolism in cholesterol fed rats. Antipyretic Activity: The methanol extract of buds of C. fistula for its antipyretic action on yeast-induced pyrexia (fever) in rats. The results obtained are comparable to those for paracetamol , a standard antipyretic agent .

20. Anti-inflammatory Activity: The antiinflammatory property of aqueous extract of leaves and fruits of Cassia fistula was reported . Antimicrobial Activity: Antifungal activity of leaf extract of Cassia fistula was reported. Antitumor activity: Effects of methanolic extract (ME) of Cassia fistula seed on the life span of tumour bearing mice were studied. ME treatment showed an increase of life span, and a decrease in the tumor volume and viable tumor cell count tumor hosts.

21. Antiulcer activity: The ethanol leaf extract of Cassia fistula Linn was evaluated for antiulcer activity against pylorus ligation- induced gastric ulcer. Wound healing activity: The methanolic extract of C. fistula leaves was examined for its wound healing property in the form of an ointment in two types of wound models in rats; result showed wound contraction ability, epithelization period andregeneration of tissue at wound area.

22. Antiparasitic Activity Anti-itching activity Larvicidal and ovicidal activity Antilaishmanial activity

23. Marketed products Cassia Essential Oil (Cassia fistula) 10ml (In China) ZEO MALT 200gms - Treats reflux oesophagitis and acid peptic disorder

24. Toxicology The results in a study suggest that, the oral administration of C. fistula methanolic seeds extract did not produce any significant toxic effect in mice. No death or signs of toxicity were observed in mice treated with extract at dose 5000 mg/kg thus establishing its safety in use. Hence, the extract can be utilized for pharmaceutical formulations. (ref. 6)

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26. References Ali MA: Cassia fistula Linn: A review of phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2014; 5(6): 2125-2130 Sharma DK. Enumerations on phytochemical, pharmacological and ethnobotanical properties of Cassia fistula Linn: yellow shower. The Journal of Phytopharmacology 2017; 6(5):300-306 Chauhan N, Bairwa R, Sharma K, Chauhan N. Review on Cassia fistula. International Journal of Research in Ayurveda and Pharmacy, 2(2), 2011, 426-430 Bahorun T, Neergheen VS, Aruoma OI. Phytochemical constituents of Cassia fistula . African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (13), pp. 1530-1540, December 2005 Singh S. Ethnobotanical Study of Indigenous Knowledge on Some Wild Plants in Parsa District, Nepal. J. Nat. Hist. Mus. Vol. 29, 2015, 103-121 Jothy SL, Zakaria Z, Chen Y, Lau YL, Latha LY et al. Acute Oral Toxicity of Methanolic Seed Extract of Cassia fistula in Mice. Molecules 2011, 16 , 5268-5282

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