Caesalpiniaceae
Cassia fistula
Amaltas
Location
Near School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies, JNU
Traditional use
Traditionally used as a gentle natural laxative — the pulp of the ripe fruit pods is traditionally used for relief from constipation, an effect associated with the plant's anthraquinone compounds.
Evidence status: Experimentally demonstrated
Rhein, an anthraquinone glycoside concentrated in the ripe pod pulp, is the well-documented compound responsible for the plant's laxative action.
Evidence base: phytochemical + pharmacological studies (reviewed)
Danish, M., Singh, P., Mishra, G., Srivastava, S., Jha, K., Khosa, R. (2011). Cassia fistula Linn.(Amulthus)-An important medicinal plant: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties. Journal of Natural Products and Plant Resources.
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