Cassia tora, Jue Ming Zi 决明子
Cassia seed, Foetid Cassia seedJue Ming Zi (TCM)
Chakramarda (Ayurveda)
Thal ka rdo rje ཐལ་ཀ་རྡོ་རྗེ (Tibetan)
Blanco, M., Flora de Filipinas, 1875Botanical name:
Cassia tora; also used are C. obtusifolia, C. occidentalis, C. sophera
Parts used:
Seed
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, moist. Bitter, Sweet, Salty
Classification:
B1. Clear Strong Heart or Fire
Uses:
1. Clears Liver Heat, Settles Wind: (TCM)
-Headache with red eyes
-Dizziness, Vertigo, Tinnitus
-Hypertension
-Paralysis and Hemiplegia (as a supporting drug, Ayur. Pharm. India)
-Epilepsy (Tibet)
-a paste of the seeds has been given for Jaundice (Ayurveda)
2. Clears Blood Heat, Settles Wind, Stops Itching: (Ayurveda, Unani, Tibetan)
-much used for skin diseases including Eczema, Psoriasis, Pruritus (Ayurveda, Unani, Tibetan)
-Scabies, Ringworm
-Tibetan Medicine considers it valuable for Lymph disorders (with heat)
3. Clears Heat, Clears the Eyes: (TCM)
-red, swollen, painful, itchy eyes
-photosensitivity, night-blindness
-poor or failing vision
4. Benefits the Kidneys: (Ayurveda, Tibet)
-Spermatorrhea (seeds soaked in water, Ayurveda)
-regarded as Aphrodisiac and used in rejuvenating compounds in Tibetan Medicine
5. Externally:
-leaf or seed in paste are applied to itchy skin diseases
-the seeds steeped in the juice of Euphorbia nerifolia and made into a paste to be applied to cheloid tumors (Chakradatta)
Preparation:
1. Dry-fried Cassia seed:
In China, the seed is often stir-fired until fragrant. This makes it less cold, and more tonifying to the Liver and Kidney. It is especially useful for chronic Eye disorders. Some Chinese practitioners usually use it in this form.
2. Prepared Cassia seed:
In India the Seeds are often soaked in Cows Urine for application.
Substitute:
1. In Unani, Cassia seed is used as a substitute for Psoralea seed (for skin diseases)
2. Caragana microphylla seed is used in Buryat region
Dose:
Decoction: 9–15 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams
Main Combinations:
Cassia seed & Psoralea seed
Commonly combined in Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine for Skin and Joint diseases.
1. Itchy Skin diseases:
i. skin conditions with Heat, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Fumitory
ii. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi combines well with Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi, topically and internally (Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine)
iii. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi (6 parts), Psoralia Bu Gu Zhi (4 parts), Carrot seeds (2 parts); powder, soak in cow’s urine eight days, and apply topically. (Ayurveda)
2. Skin diseases (Acne, Eczema, Dermatitis, Leucoderma), Cassia tora, Turmeric, Barberry, Neem, Madder, Swertia, Picrorrhiza (Ayurveda)
3. Lymph disorders, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Frankincense, Chebulic Myrobalan, Barberry, Gentian (Tibetan Medicine)
4. For the Heart, to lower Cholesterol and Blood pressure, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Hawthorn fruit
5. Dry Bowels or Chronic constipation:
i. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Dang Gui
ii. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Cannabis seed or Linseed or Sesame seed
6. Headache from Liver Heat / Wind-Heat:
i. from Wind-Heat, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Ligusticum Chuan Xiong.
ii. Liver Wind-Heat with Dizziness, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Gastrodia Tian Ma, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Self Heal
7. Heat-type Eye disorders:
i. from Liver Heat, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Self Heal
ii. Sore, Red, Swollen eyes, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Fraxinus Qin Pi, Horsetail (Mu Zei), Chrysanthemum Ju Hua
iii. strong Liver Heat, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Gentian (Long Dan Cao) and Scutellaria Huang Qin
iv. Wind-Heat eye conditions with watering and itchiness, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua)
v. chronic conditions with deficiency, Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Lycium Gou Qi (Goji)
8. Hypertension, High Cholesterol:
i. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Hawthorn fruit (Shan Zha)
ii. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Lycium Gou Qi Zi (Goji), Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua)
iii. Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Morus Sang Bai Pi, Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao)
9. Diabetes from Phlegm: Cassia tora Jue Ming Zi with Embelia, Turmeric, Barberry (Ayurveda)
10. Tinea, a topical preparation of Cassia seed, Turmeric and Neem has been found effective.
Major Formulas:
Nimbadi Churna (Ayurveda)
Catechu 23 (Seng ldeng 23) (Tibetan)
Catechu 25 (Seng ldeng 25) (Tibetan)
Clove 35 (Li shi so lnga) (Tibetan)
Codonopsis 18 (Klu bdud bco brgyad) (Tibetan)
Frankincense 10 (Spos dkar bcu pa) (Tibetan)
Garuda of Camphor (Spos khyung bco lnga) (Tibetan)
Mercury Precious 18 Pill (Dngul chu rin chen bcho brgyad) (Tibetan)
Precious Wish Fulfilling Jewel (Rin chen ratna bsam ‘phel) (Tibetan)
Rhinoceros Horn 25 (Bse ru nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Wish-fulfilling Garuda (Bsam khyung) (Tibetan)
Wish-fulfilling Jewel (Bsam phel nor bu) (Tibetan)
Cautions:
1. Not used in Diarrhea from Spleen deficiency (TCM)
Toxicity:
–Subchronic toxicity evaluation of ethanol extract of Cassia tora L. seeds in rats.
Main Preparations used:
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Extra Info
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History
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Research
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‘This plant is called by Sanskrit writers Chakramarda, “destroying ringworm,” Prapunata or Prapunada, and Uranakska; it has a great reputation in all kinds of skin-diseases. Chnkradatta directs the seeds to be steeped in the juice of Euphorbia neriifulia, and afterwards to be made into a paste with cow’s urine as an application to cheloid tumours. He also recommends the seeds together with those of Pongamia glabra as a cure for ringworm. The Arabs call the seeds Ain-es-saratin, or crab’s eyes. Under the names of Sanjisaboyah and Sangisaboyah, Mahometan writers give an exact description of this plant, and notice the closing of the leaves at night. They consider the seeds and leaves to have solvent properties in those forms of skin-disease accompanied by induration, such as leprosy, cheloid, psoriasis, &c, and mention their having been used with advantage in plague (waba), a term which is rather indefinite. C. Tora and C. Sophera are named Gallinaria by Rumphius. (Hort. Amb. v., 97, figs. 1, 2.) Ainslie says:— “The mucilaginous and fetid smelling leaves of C. Tora are gently aperient, and are prescribed in the form of decoction; and in doses of about 2 ounces, for such children as suffer from |
feverish attacks while teething; fried in castor oil they are considered as a good application to foul ulcers. The seeds ground with sour buttermilk are used to ease the irritation of itchy eruptions; and the root, rubbed on a stone with lime juice, is supposed to be one of the best remedies for ringworm. The leaves are also used as a poultice to hasten suppuration. The plant is to be found as a weed in every garden, and is used as a domestic remedy in the manner described by Ainslie. In the Concan the following prescription is used for itch:— Cassia Tora seeds, 6 parts; Psoralia corylifolia seeds, 4 parts; carrot seeds, 2 parts; powder, soak in cow’s urine eight days, and apply. Lately the seeds have been recommended as a Coffee-substitute. They are also used as a dye. In India the young leaves are cooked and eaten on the four Saturdays in the month of Shravan; they are one of the five vegetables particularly acceptable to the gods; the others are Bauhinia malabarica, Amarantus gangeticus, Celosia argentea, and Phalangium tuberosum.’ (Pharmacographia Indica, Dymock, 1893) |
–Cassiae Semen: A comprehensive review of botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and quality control.
PREPARATION (ROASTING):
–Antigenotoxic properties of Cassia tea (Cassia tora L.): mechanism of action and the influence of roasting process.
–Antioxidant properties of water extracts from Cassia tora L. in relation to the degree of roasting.
–Antioxidant effects of extracts from Cassia tora L. prepared under different degrees of roasting on the oxidative damage to biomolecules.
ANTIOXIDANT:
–Antioxidant properties of water extracts from Cassia tora L. in relation to the degree of roasting.
–Antioxidant effects of extracts from Cassia tora L. prepared under different degrees of roasting on the oxidative damage to biomolecules.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY:
–Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of ononitol monohydrate isolated from Cassia tora L. in animal models.
ANTINOCICEPTIVE:
–Antinociceptive and smooth muscle contracting activities of the methanolic extract of Cassia tora leaf.
ANTIBACTERIAL:
–Phenolic constituents of Cassia seeds and antibacterial effect of some naphthalenes and anthraquinones on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
ANTI-FUNGAL:
–Anthraquinones isolated from Cassia tora (Leguminosae) seed show an antifungal property against phytopathogenic fungi.
–Isolation of chrysophanic acid-9-anthrone, the major antifungal principle of Cassia tora.
COVID:
–Traditional Chinese medicine herbal extracts of Cibotium barometz, Gentiana scabra, Dioscorea batatas, Cassia tora, and Taxillus chinensis inhibit SARS-CoV replication.
–Screening for natural and derived bio-active compounds in preclinical and clinical studies: One of the frontlines of fighting the coronaviruses pandemic.
ESTROGENIC:
–Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities of Cassia tora phenolic constituents.
DIABETES:
–Cassia tora Seed Improves Pancreatic Mitochondrial Function Leading to Recovery of Glucose Metabolism.
–Experimental Validation of Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Potential of Cassia tora (L.): An Indigenous Medicinal Plant.
–Effect of butanol fraction from Cassia tora L. seeds on glycemic control and insulin secretion in diabetic rats.
AGING RELATED DISEASE:
–Preclinical activities of Cassia tora Linn against aging-related diseases.
NEUROPROTECTIVE:
–Cassia tora extract alleviates Aβ1-42 aggregation processes in vitro and protects against aluminium-induced neurodegeneration in rats.
–Neuroprotective effects of Cassia tora against paraquat-induced neurodegeneration: relevance for Parkinson’s disease.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:
–Cassia tora Linn.: A boon to Alzheimer’s disease for its anti-amyloidogenic and cholinergic activities.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE:
–Neuroprotective effects of Cassia tora against paraquat-induced neurodegeneration: relevance for Parkinson’s disease.
HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
–Potential hepatoprotective activity of ononitol monohydrate isolated from Cassia tora L. on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in wistar rats.
–Hepatoprotective effects of Cassiae Semen on mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on gut microbiota.
FATTY LIVER:
–Cassia tora (Leguminosae) seed extract alleviates high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver.
–Cassiae Semen improves non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through autophagy-related pathway.
–Hepatoprotective effects of Cassiae Semen on mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on gut microbiota.
HYPOTENSIVE:
–Extraction of hypotensive principles from seeds of Cassia tora.
–A possible reflex mechanism of hypotensive action of extract from Cassia tora seeds.
–The involvement of medullary reticular formation in the hypotensive effect of extracts from seeds of Cassia tora.
ANTI-THROMBIN EFFECT:
–Anthraquinones from Cassiae semen as thrombin inhibitors: in vitro and in silico studies.
PSORIASIS:
–Cassia tora Linn Cream Inhibits Ultraviolet-B-Induced Psoriasis in Rats.
CANCER:
–Cassia tora L. (Jue-ming-zi) has anticancer activity in TCA8113 cells in vitro and exerts anti-metastatic effects in vivo.
–Isolation and identification of antitumor promoters from the seeds of Cassia tora.
–Antitumor activities of Juemingzi (Cassia tora L.) on Balb/c sarcoma 180-injected mice.
PROSTATE:
–Friedelin, a novel inhibitor of CYP17A1 in prostate cancer from Cassia tora.
EFFECT ON MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT CANCER:
–Reversal effects of traditional Chinese herbs on multidrug resistance in cancer cells.
INHIBITS METASTASIS:
–Obtusifolin suppresses phthalate esters-induced breast cancer bone metastasis by targeting parathyroid hormone-related protein.