Cassia grandis
Cassia grandis, commonly known as the Senna plant, is a powerful medicinal herb renowned for its potent laxative properties. Widely utilized in traditional medicine, its leaves and pods contain anthraquinone glycosides, which effectively stimulate bowel movements, aiding in the treatment of constipation and promoting digestive health and regularity.
- Scientific name: Cassia grandis
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Fabales, belonging to the family Fabaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Cassia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cassia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cassia grandis, is recognized by various regional names across different cultures and languages. In Malayalam, it is referred to as പിങ്ക് കൊന്ന (Pink konna), while in Latvian, it is called Hoberska kasija. Its names also vary significantly in Southeast Asia, where it is known as กาฬพฤกษ์ (Kalapruk) in Thai, Ô môi in Vietnamese, and kotek mamak in Malay.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ml | പിങ്ക് കൊന്ന | Wikidata |
| vi | Ô môi | Wikidata |
| th | กาฬพฤกษ์ | Wikidata |
| ms | kotek mamak | Wikidata |
| hsb | Hoberska kasija | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 大果鐵刀木 | Wikidata |
| ja | モモイロナンバンサイカチ | Wikidata |
| arz | جرانديز كاسيا | Wikidata |
| zh | 红花铁刀木 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 红花铁刀木 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast. Moving toward the center of the continent, it can also be found within West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically in the DR Congo. Furthermore, its range extends into East Tropical Africa, where it is located in Tanzania. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse environments where the species thrives.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
Chemicals
Cassia grandis has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (-)-epiafzelechin, afzelin, aloe emodin, epicatechin, isoquercitrin.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| (-)-epiafzelechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| afzelin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aloe emodin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoquercitrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercitrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cassia grandis has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Aspergillus flavus, aches, back pain.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Aspergillus flavus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aches | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| back pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |