Cassia alata Linn.

5 tons/year

5 tons/year

70 Thai Bahts/kg

Cultivated, organic

The plant is widely available in Thaniland.

Thai Food and Drug Administration 
Web: http://www.fda.moph.go.th/eng/index.stm

Propagation
This plant is easily grown in almost soil conditions. Best planting can be achieved under ventilated soil, high humidity and sunlight. Propagation of this kind of plant can be chosen either using seeds or plantlets.   By planting with seeds, a hole size widexlengthxheight : 30x30x30 cm were prepared before dispersing about 5-6 seeds each hole and covering with 1 cm height soil and dried grass on top. It is recommended to keep a distance of 3-4 m between each hole for better planting.

Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture 
Web: http://www.doa.go.th/

Royal Forest Department of Thailand
Web: http://www.forest.go.th/

It was traditionally used as laxative and antifungal (ringworm).

Analgesic activity: 85% ethanol extract of Senna alata of and kaemferol 3-O-sophoroside (K3S) purified from leaf extract showed analgesic effect with dose-response manner comparing to morphine after i.p. injection (Palanichang and Nagarajan, 1990).  In addition, hexane extract from leaves of Senna alata also showed analgesic effect in mice shown as writhing effect after pain induction with acetic acid intraperitoneally (Viiasenor et al., 2002).

Anti-inflammatiory: Extract of leaves of Senna alata was found to have anti-inflammatory actions by inhibiting histamine secretion via stimulating peritoneal exudates cells of rats with concanavalin A and inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenases (COX-1 & COX-2). However, the major flavonoid glycoside; kaempferol-3-O-gentiobiodiside is not the active constituent causing inflammation as the activity is mild (Moriyama et al., 2003).

Cassia alata leaf contains free agylcones(rhein, emodin, aloe-emodin, crysophanol, and isochrysophanol), glycosides rhein, of aloe-emodin and physcione. It also contains kaempferol, β-sitosterol and sennoside A, B, C and D.

The quality control in Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia Vol.I

Identification

Chemical test 
A. To 100 mg of the sample, in powder, add 25 ml of 2 M hydrochloric acid, heat on a water-bath for 15 minutes, and immediately filter through a plug of cotton wool. Allow the filtrate to cool and shake with 20 ml of ether. Separate the ether layer and shake with 10 ml of ammonia TS: the aqueous layer becomes red.

B. Carry out the test as descriped in the “Thin-layer Chromatography”, using silica gel G as the coating substance and a mixture of 75 volumes of petroleum ether (boiling range, 40° to 60° C), 25 volume of ethyl acetate and 1 volume of anhydrous formic acid as the mobile phase but allowing the solvent front to ascend 10 cm above the line of application. Apply separately to the plate, 5 µl of each of the following three solutions. Prepare solution (A) by refluxing 100 mg of the sample, in powder, with two 50 ml portions of chloroform on a water-bath for 15 min. Combine the chloroform extracts and evaporate to dryness. Dissole the residue in 0.5 ml of chloroform. For solution (B) add 25 ml of 2 M hydrochloric acid to the marc obtained after the reflux and proceed as in the test for Identification A, beginning with “heat on water-bath …” to obtain the ether layer. Evaporate the ether layer to dryess. Dissolve the residue in 0.5 ml of ether. For solution (C) dissolve 1 mg of rhein in 1 ml of methanol. After removal of thr plate from the chromatographic chamber, allow it to dry in air, and examine under ultraviolet light (366 nm), locating the spots. The chromatogram obtained with solution(A) and (B) correspond in hRf value and colour to that of rhein or of solution (C). Expose the plate to ammonia vapour; the spots due to rhein are red. Other spots of different hRf values and colours are observed.

Quantitative parameters 

• Loss on drying not more than 11% w/w after drying at 105° C for 5 h.
• Foreign matter not more than 2% w/w of stems and other foreign matter.
• Total ash not more than 9% w/w (Appendix 7.7). 
• Acid-insoluble extractive not less than 1% w/w (Appendix 7.6).
• Water-soluble extractive not less than 18% w/w (Appendix 7.12).
• Ethanol (50%)-soluble extractive not less than 21% w/w (Appendix 7.12).

Assay
Hydroxyanthracene derivative content not less than 1% w/w of hydroxyanthracene derivatives, calculated as rhein-8-glucoside on the dried basis, when determined by the following method.

Accurately weigh about 150 mg of Cassia alata leaf, in No.150 powder, and place in a 100 ml round-bottomed flask. Add 30.0 ml of water, mix, weigh, and place in a water-bath. Adjust heat under a reflux condenser for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, weigh and adjust to the original weight with water. Centifuge and transfer 20.0 ml of the supernatant liquit to a 150 ml seraator. Add 0.1 ml of 2 M hydrochloric acid and shake with three 15 ml portions of chloroform. Allow to separate and discard the chloroform layer. Add 100 mg of sodium hydrogencarbonate and shake for 3 min. Centifuge and transfer 10 ml of thesupernatant liquit to a 100 ml round-bottomed flast with a ground glass nea\ck. Add 20 ml of a 10.5% w/v solution in iron (III) chloride and mix. Heat for 20 min under a reflux condenser in a watebath with water level above that of the liquit in the flask, add 1 ml of hydrochloric acid and heat for a furter 20 min with frequent shaking, to dissolve the precipitate. Cool, Transfer the ether layers to a 100 ml volumetric flask and dilute with ether to volume. Evapurate 25 ml carefully to dryness at low temperature and dissolve the residue in 10 ml of a 0.5% w/v solution of magnesium acetate in methanol. Measure the absorbance of this solution at the maximum at about 515 nm (Appendix 2.2), using the magnesium acetate solution as the blank. 

Calculate the percentage content o rhein-8-glucoside from the expression: A × 0.4283/w

Where A = the absorbance of the substance being examined at 515 nm, and 
W = the weight in g of the substance being examined

Acute toxicity test of 50% alcoholic extract of Cassia alata revealed no evidence of toxicity in mice when given orally at the dose 15 gm/kg body weight. LD50 of the extract administered per o.s. and subcutaneous are more than 15 gm/kg and intraperitoneal is 8.3 gm/kg. Chronic toxicity test. No evidence of abnormalities has been shown in organs.

• It should be used with caution in young children; or in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
• It may cause mild abdominal discomfort such as colic or cramps. Large doses may produce nephritis.
• Prolonged use should be avoided since it may result in diarrhoea with excessive loss of water and electrolytes, particularly potassium.

As laxative: Twelve to fifteen leaves are dried and boiled with water, the water extract is taken in the early morning before breakfast or at bedtime.

Wound treatment: Leaves are boiled with water and simmered to be left with one third of the extract. It is then applied over the infected area 2 times a day.

As Thai traditional medicine