CASSIA OCCIDENTALIS

Common name: Coffee Senna, coffeeweed, Negro coffee • Hindi: Kasunda, Bari kasondi • Marathi: ran-takda, kasivda, kasoda, rankasvinda • Tamil: Nattam takarai, Payaverai • Malayalam: Mattantakara • Telugu: Thangedu • Kannada: Kolthogache • Bengali: Kalkashunda • Oriya: Kasundri • Urdu: Kasonji • Assamese: Hant-thenga • Gujarati: Kasundri • Sanskrit: Kasamarda, Vimarda, Arimarda

Botanical name: Cassia occidentalis  

Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family)

Synonyms: Senna occidentalis

Geographical distribution

The plant occurs throughout India as a waste land weed.

Introduction: Coffee Senna is a smooth annual that can grow up to 2 m tall. The leaves are compound, leaflets, in 4-6 pairs, have a sharp tip. These leaflets are 2-9 cm long and 2-3 cm wide with a distinct gland 3-5 mm from the base of the stalk. Flowers occur in leaf axils. Sepals are green and 6-9 mm long. The petals are yellow and 1-2 cm long. The 6-7 stamens are of two different lengths. The seed pods are dark brown, 8 to 12 cm long, 7-10 mm wide and curve slightly upward. The seeds are dull brown, 4-5 mm long and flattened on both ends. The seeds can be roasted and made into a coffee-like drink.

Chemical composition

The leaves contain dianthronic heteroside. Flower contains phycion and its

glycosides, emodin and B-sitosterol.

It also contains tannic acid, mucilage, emodin and oxalbumin. Seeds contain

sennosides, anthraquinones glucoside, polysaccharides and galactomannan.

Medicinal uses:

The seed is bitter and has purgative properties. It is also used as a diuretic, liver detoxifier, as a hepato-tonic (balances and strengthens the liver). Further, used in whooping cough and convulsion. It is one of the ingredients of Liv-52 used in hepatitis. Root is used in skin diseases. Leaf and fruit are anthelmintic and seeds are used in diabetes. It is used as purgative and an antidote to snake bite.

Folk medicinal uses

An infusion or decoction of leaves is usually given in cough and asthma. Seeds are powdered with black pepper in equal quantity and kept in a Bottle. A dose of 2 gm. is given with water thrice daily for six months to reduce fat from the body.

Flowers and Fruits : June-November

NOTE : Cassia tora Linn. (syn. Cassia obtusifolia Linn.) has same Folk medicinal uses as Cassia occidentalis Linn.