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Cassia occidentalis L.
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English Name |
Coffee Senna, Negro Coffee |
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Latin name |
Cassia occidentalis L. |
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Family & Genus |
Fabaceae, Cassia |
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Description |
Shrubs or subshrubs, 1-2m tall. Stem erect, branches few, cylindrical, glabrous. Even-pinnate compound leaves, alternate, about 20cm long; petioles 3-5cm long, petioles near the base with 1 conical gland; stipules oval-lanceolate; leaflets 3-5 pairs, membranaceous, the lowermost 1 pair smallest; small blades oval or oval-lanceolate, 2-6cm long, 1-3cm wide, entire, apex acute or acuminate, base nearly round, slightly oblique, margin with fine pubescence, upper part densely fine pubescence, lower part glabrous, small petioles very short. Corymbose racemes axillary or acrogenous, about 5cm long, peduncles sparsely fine pubescence; bracts long oval or linear-lanceolate, caducous; calyx 5, unequal; petals 5, yellow, obovate or elliptic, apex round or emarginate, base with short claws; stamens 10, upper 3 are staminodes; ovary bar-shaped, flat, with white long hairs, style filamentous, bent inward, stigma truncate. Pods flat, about 10 to 13cm long, about 0.9cm wide, linear, light brown, with sparse hairs, slightly bent inward, margin thickened. Seeds numerous, oval and one end slightly pointed, flat, slightly concave near the centre, with diaphragm between seeds. Flowering: April to August. Fruiting: June to October. |
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Distribution |
Growing on sandy loam hillsides, roadsides, open fields, in thickets or thin forests. Now usually cultivated. Distributed in Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Taiwan and the south of the Yangtze River. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangxi and etc. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: stems, leaves and seeds. Chinese name: seeds: Wangjiangnanzi. Stems and leaves: Wangjiangnan. |
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Harvest & Processing |
Harvested stem and leaves in summer and dried in shade or used fresh. Harvested when fruits ripen in autumn, sun-dried for future use. |
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Chemistry |
Leaves contain dianthronic heteroside. Roots contain 1, 8-dihydroxy anthraquinone, α-hydroxy-anthraquinone, emodin, quercitin and dianthrone combined by Physcion and chrysophanol. |
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Pharmacology |
Volatile oil in leaves, roots and seeds may have inhibitory action on various bacteria, also no anti-bacterial effects reported. Water extract may inhibit some fungus. Leaves and stem decoction or PEG precipitating decoction may excite ileum of guinea pig or uterus of rats, lower the blood pressure of dogs, or slightly excite isolated rabbit heart or largely reduce the energy infusing in hint legs of rats. |
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Properties & Actions |
Stem, leaves: bitter, cold, mild-toxic. Seeds: sweet bitter, cool, toxic.Stem and leaves: depurating lung and liver, promoting urination, freeing the stool, dispersing swelling and resolving toxin. Seeds: clearing the liver and harmonize stomach, freeing the stool and detoxifying. |
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Indications & Usage |
Stem, Leaves: dyspnea and cough, bloody stranguria, constipation, headache, conjunctival congestion, furunculosis and swelling, bites by snakes and insects. Seeds: swelling pain induced by conjunctival congestion, dizziness and distention of head, dyspepsia, gastralgia, stomachache, dysentery, constipation.Stem, leaves: oral administration: decocting, 6-9g, fresh products 15-30g; or smashed to extract juice. External application: appropriate amount, smashed for application. Seeds: oral administration: decocting, 6-9; powdered 1.5-3g. External application: appropriate amount, powdered for application. Be aware of use in cases of body weakness. |
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Examples |
1. Pyogenic infections: Hongkong kumquat leaf, dry under the sun and grind into powder, mix with vinegar and apply externally, the lesion will heal after incrusted; or swallow with 2-3 qian liquor.
2. Snake-head-like infection: fresh okra leaves 1 bundle, mixed with abutilon avicennae, pestle and apply externally onto the affected lesions.
3. Snake bites: fresh okra leaves 1 bundle, pestle and collect natural juice, swallow, and apply the residues onto the affected lesions.
4. Bloody stranguria: whole herb of okra 1 liang, decoct in water and swallow. |
| Link to |
 Phytochemical Image Database
Chinese Medicine Specimen Database
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Permanent URL：https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/cmed/mpid/detail.php?herb_id=D00352 |
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