Cassia fistula (THE GOLDEN SHOWER) AS AN

IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT, ITS

TRADITIONAL USES AND
PHYTOCHEMISTRY
PRESENTED BY: ABHISHEK MAHAJAN
M. PHARM. (PHARMACOGNOSY)
REG. NO.: 22MPHYTO13
DPSNP, CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF PUNJAB,
BATHINDA
CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Plant Profile and Marker Compounds

• Botanical Description

• Macroscopic Identification

• Chemical Constituents

• Ethnopharmacological Uses

• Herbal Formulations

• Medicinal Uses

• Conclusion

• References
 INTRODUCTION

• Indian traditional medicine is based on various systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy
• The evaluation of these drugs is primarily based on phytochemical, pharmacological and allied approaches including
various instrumental techniques such chromatography, microscopy and others
• Interestingly it is estimated that more than 25% of the modern medicines are directly or indirectly derived from plants. One
such plant is Cassia fistula
• Cassia fistula Linn. commonly known as Aragvadha means ”disease killer” and in english popularly called “Indian
Laburnum”
• Cassia fistula is widely grown ornamental profusely yellow flowering tree in tropical area which blooms in late spring
• It is the national flower of Thailand
• It is a popular ornamental plant widely used in herbal medicine. The fruit, seed, pulp and root have immense medicinal
value
Sharma, A., Kumar, A., & Jaitak, V. (2021). Pharmacological and chemical potential of
Cassia fistula.  Journal of Herbal Medicine, 26, 100407.
 PLANT PROFILE

Botanical Name: Cassia fistula linn. Taxonomical Classification:

Kingdom Plantae
Geographical Distribution and Habitat: Subkingdom Tracheobionta
• Native to India, Cassia fistula is a moderate Super Division Spermatophyta
sized deciduous tree 10 m (30 – 40 feet) tall Division Magnoliophyta
• Cassia fistula grows in Nepal and in many other Class Magnoliopsida
Sub Class Rosidae
Asian countries and is used as a traditional
Order Fabales
herbal medicine in India, China, Hong Kong, the
Family Fabaceae
Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand
Genus Cassia
Species Fistula

Ali, M. A. (2014). Cassia fistula Linn: a review of

phytochemical and pharmacological studies. 
 MARKER COMPOUNDS

1. Anthraquinones: Cassia fistula contains anthraquinone derivatives, such as

chrysophanol, emodin, and rhein have been found to have antioxidant, anti-
inflammatory, and anticancer properties
2. Flavonoids: Flavonoids such as kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin are present in
Cassia fistula. These compounds have potent antioxidant activity and are known
to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties
3. Triterpenoids: Cassia fistula also contains triterpenoids such as betulinic acid
and ursolic acid, which have been found to have anticancer and anti-
inflammatory properties
4. Polysaccharides: Polysaccharides extracted from Cassia fistula have been
shown to have immunomodulatory activity and are used in traditional medicine
for the treatment of various ailments

A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2021 

 BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Parts Description

Trunk Straight, 6-9 m high

Bark Smooth and Pale grey when young

Branches Spreading, Slender

Fruits Pendulous, Cylindrical, Brown, Septate

Leaves Compound Leaves, Alternate, Pinnate

Seeds Lenticular, Light brown, lustrous

Flowers Yellow

Phytochemical constituents of Cassia fistula. African journal

of Biotechnology, 2005
 Macroscopic Identification

1. Leaf: Compound Leaves, Alternate, pinnate, deciduous (shed after maturity) and pinnate with 4-8 pairs of
ovate leaflets.
2. Flower

•  It consist of five bright yellow petals which are widely spaced , about 2
inches wide with 10 stamens.

A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2021 

3. Seeds: Seeds are oval shaped attached with sticky brown pulp.  
4. Fruits : Fruit of Cassia fistula is Pod like , elongated hanging, 12 inch or
more in length
 Chemical Constituents
• The plant is rich in phenolic antioxidants such as anthraquinones, flavonoids and flavan-3-ol
derivatives.
• Cassia fistula the results shows positive for alkaloids, terpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins,
tannins, carbonyl and steroids.

Table 1. Secondary metabolites in C. fistula plant parts:

Plant part/organ Secondary metabolites
Bark Oxyanthraquinone,
Dihydroxyanthraquinone
Leaves Epicatechin, Procyanidin, Biflavonoids,
Triflavonoids, Sennoside A, Sennoside B,
Chrysophanol, Rhein,physcoin
Flowers Kaempferol, Rhein, Fistulin
Pods Fistulic acid
Seeds Chrysophanol
Fruit pulp Rhein, Volatile oil
Phytochemical composition of Cassia fistula
fruit extracts, ahmed, Irfan, 2014
Chemical structures of flavonol derivatives in Cassia fistula
 Fistulic Acid

Chemical Constituent R1 R2
Chrysophanol CH3 H
Rhein COOH H
Emodin CH3 OH
Physcoin CH3 OCH3

Structure of main anthraquinone derivatives

α-amyrin
 Ethnomedicinal uses

In a study which was carried out to document ethnobotanical information of some wild plants used by
the Tharu community of Parsa district forest area of Nepal, it was found that :
• The leaves extract is used as antibacterial and antifungal agent
• The sweet blackish pulp of the seed is used as a mild laxative
• The root decoction has great curative effects against common cold
• Leaf juice is used in curing fungal infections of the skin
• Root is useful in fever, heart diseases, retained excretions and biliousness, rheumatic condition,
hemorrhage, wounds, ulcers
• The powder or decoction of the bark is administered in leprosy, jaundice, syphilis and heart diseases
• The stem bark is used against amenorrhea, chest pain and swellings

A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2021 

 Herbal formulations

Constivac (Lupin Herbal) Pilex for treatment of piles

A bowel regulator, relieves
constipation
Purium as detoxifier,
anti-ageing
Aragwadhamrutaadi
kashayam
Aragvadharista other ayurvedic preparation

Danish, M., Singh, P., Mishra, G., Srivastava, S., Jha, K. K., & Khosa, R. L.
(2011). Cassia fistula Linn.(Amulthus)-An important medicinal plant: J Nat Prod
 HYPOLIPIDEMIC ANTI-DIABETIC

ANTI-TUMOR ANTI-
INFLAMMATORY

ANTI-BACTERIAL ANTI-TUSSIVE

HEPATOPROTECTIV
E ANTI-OXIDANT
MEDICINAL
USES
ANTI-FUNGAL LAXATIVE
 Antitussive activity

• T. Bhakta et al. (2004) reported that the methanol extract of leaves of C. fistula was investigated
for its effect on a cough model induced by sulfur dioxide gas in mice
• The extract exhibited significant, dose-dependent antitussive activity compared with the
control. The antitussive activity was comparable with that of codeine phosphate, a prototypes
antitussive agent
• C. fistula extract (400 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited coughing by 44.44 and 51.85%,
respectively, with respect to the control group

Danish, M., Singh, P., Mishra, G., Srivastava, S., Jha, K. K., & Khosa, R. L.
(2011). Cassia fistula Linn.(Amulthus)-An important medicinal plant:
 Hepatoprotective activity

• Pradeep Kannampalli, et al. (2007) evaluated that the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of Cassia
fistula leaf extract on liver injury induced by diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) was investigated. Rats weighing
200±10 g was administered a single dose of DEN (200 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) and left for 30 days
• For hepatoprotective studies, ethanolic leaf extract (ELE) of C. fistula Linn. (500 mg/kg b.w., p.o.) was
administered daily for 30 days
• AST, ALT, ALP, LDH and bilirubin were estimated in serum and liver tissue. Lipid peroxidation (LPO),
CAT were also estimated in liver tissue as markers of oxidative stress
• DEN induced hepatotoxicity in all the treated animals were evident by elevated serum ALT, AST, ALP
and bilirubin levels and a simultaneous fall in their levels in the liver tissue after 30 days
• ELE administration for 30 days prevented the DEN induced hepatic injury and oxidative stress

Mwangi, R. W., Macharia, J. M., Wagara, I. N., & Bence, R. L.. The medicinal
properties of Cassia fistula L: A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy,
2021
 Antifungal activity

• Padma Singh et al. (2006) tested the leaf extract of Cassia fistula for antifungal activity against Candida
albicans
• Extracts of the leaves of Cassia fistula were prepared in acetone, diethyl ether and methanol. The antifungal
activity was performed by paper disc diffusion assay
• The methanol extract showed highest activity i.e., upto 21 mm which was comparable with the standard
antifungal antibiotic, clotrimazole
• The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of seed and pulp oil was 350-500 and 250- 300 µg/mL
respectively (Irshad et al., 2013)

Ali, M. A. (2014). Cassia fistula Linn: a review of phytochemical and

pharmacological studies. Int J Pharm Sci Res, 5(6), 2125-2130.
 Anti-Bacterial Activity

• T. R. Vimalraj et al. (2009) studied the antibacterial activity of the aqueous and alcoholic extract of
stem, bark of C. fistula
• Aqueous extract of C. fistula in disc diffusion method showed significant activity against S. aureus
but not against other bacteria tested
• Alcoholic extract showed greater inhibition against S. aureus compared to aqueous extract
• MIC values of the alcoholic extracts against S. aureus were in the range of 0.78-6.25 mg/ml

Duraipandiyan, V., & Ignacimuthu, S. (2007). Antibacterial and antifungal

activity of Cassia fistula L. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 112(3), 590-594.
 Hypocholesterolemic and Hypoglycaemic
activity

• Nirmala et al. (2008) reported the hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic effects of the hexane
extract of stem bark of C. fistula, in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.
• Hexane extract of C. fistula bark at doses 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 g kg-1 body weight for 30 days
suppressed the elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic rats
• The extract at 0.45 g kg-1 was found to be comparable with Glibenclamide, the reference drug
• The lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, LDL and VLDL-cholesterol)
after the extract treatment at 0.45 g kg-1 body weight showed remarkable improvement compared
to the diabetic control animal
• Antioxidant and polyphenol content present in the extracts might contribute to the
antihyperglycemic and antilipidemic properties

Pawar, A. V., & Killedar, S. G. (2017). Uses of Cassia fistula Linn as a

medicinal plant. International Journal for Advance Research and
 CONCLUSION

• It is quite obvious that the plant is widely used in traditional medicinal system of India and has been
reported to possess hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, antifungal and also used as
wounds healing and antibacterial properties
• It is estimated that about 80% of the world population residing in the vast rural areas of the
developing and under developed countries still rely mainly on medicinal plants
• It found good source of tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, linoleic, oleic, stearic, oxalic
acids, tannins, oxy anthraquinones, anthraquinones derivatives, fistulin, essential oils, volatile
components, phytol
• This presentation summarizes some important pharmacological studies on Cassia fistula and
phytochemical investigations and isolated principles from them, which can be investigated further to
achieve lead molecules in the search of novel herbal drugs
 REFERENCES
• Ali, M. A. (2014). Cassia fistula Linn: a review of phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Int J Pharm Sci
Res, 5(6), 2125-2130.
• Mwangi, R. W., Macharia, J. M., Wagara, I. N., & Bence, R. L. (2021). The medicinal properties of Cassia fistula L: A
review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 144, 112240.
• Chaerunisa, A. Y., Ramadhani, F. N., Nurani, T. D., Najihudin, A., Susilawati, Y., & Subarnas, A. (2018).
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract of Cassia fistula L. Barks. Journal of Pharmaceutical
Sciences and Research, 10(6), 1415-1417.
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Biotechnology, 4(13).
• Duraipandiyan, V., & Ignacimuthu, S. (2007). Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Cassia fistula L.: An
ethnomedicinal plant. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 112(3), 590-594.
• Mwangi, R. W., Macharia, J. M., Wagara, I. N., & Bence, R. L. (2021). The medicinal properties of Cassia fistula L: A
review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 144, 112240.
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