Sickle Senna

Scientific name of Sickle Senna: Cassia  obtusifolia/Cassia tora

Name of Sickle Senna in different languages:-

English: Coffeeweed, Senna, Sickle senna

Sanskrit: Elagajam, Chakramarda, Punnada.

Hindi: chirauta chokad

Malayalam: Chakrathakara ചക്രത്തകര

Plant description:

Sickle Senna (Cassia obtusifolia) is a tropical herb or woody subshrub annual, mostly found in roadsides, woodland, and plane areas, grows up to 2 meters tall, with many branches. Leaves are obovate or oblong, up to 6cm long; leaflets are three pairs, with rounded apexes. Flowers are yellow, axillary in pairs, obovate, up to 15mm long, and with five petals, flowering in June – August. Seeds are many, contained in a pod or bean length up to 20cm long and 4mm wide. Fruiting is August – October.

Useful plant parts:

leaves, seeds, and root

Leaf Arrangement

Medicinal uses:

Constipation, Eye diseases, skin diseases, ringworm

Chemical content:

β-Sitosterol, sennacide.

One of the ingredients in the Ayurveda medicines like:

• Somaraji Oil
• Maharajaprasarini Thailam
• Maha Vishagarbha Tailam
• Brihat marichadi Taila