Aragvadha – Cassia fistula: Uses, Qualities, Side Effects

Aragvadha is an ancient Indian herb, widely used in the treatment of skin diseases and in constipation. Its botanical name is Cassia fistula and it belongs to Caesalpinioideae family (Simbi Kula)  It is a tree that grows up to 25 – 30 feet. 

Taxonomical Classification

Family – Caesalpiniaceae
Genus – Cassia
Species – Fistula

Aragwadha medicinal qualities

Guna (qualities) – Mrudu (soft), Guru (heavy to digest), Snigdha (unctuous, oily)
Rasa (taste) – Madhura (sweet)
Vipaka (taste conversion after digestion) – Madhura (sweet)
Veerya (potency) – Sheeta (cold)
Effect on Tridosha – balances Kapha and Pitta.
Prabhava (special effect) – Sramsana – causes mild purgation
Action –
Fruit – Sramsana, Sulahara, Ruchya
Patra – Virechaka,Meda visosaka
Pushpa – Grahi

Purging cassia – Aragwadha is used for its potent antipyretic (anti fever), analgesic, anti inflammatory, vermifuge, cardio-protective and blood purification properties.

Of all the herbs that are useful in bringing about mild purgation, Aragvadha is the best.
It is useful in
Jvara – fever
Hrudroga- Cardiac disorder
Pittasra – bleeding disorders
Vata udavarta – bloating
Shula – abdominal colic pain
Aragwadha is continuously indicated throughout the course of treatment for fever. It helps to relieve Ama and detoxifies the digestive tract.
Because of its mild purgative action, it can be used in elderly and sensitive people.

Research

Antibacterial and anti-fungal activities

Home Remedies of Purging Cassia

Home remedies

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD
Important simple remedies and their health benefits are explained here below-

Ringworm infection

1. Fresh leaf paste for ringworm infection and itching:
A fist full of mature fresh leaves are collected and fine paste is made without adding water. This is applied over the skin lesions. This is effective in ringworm and eczema.

Worm infestation

2. Leaf decoction or fresh juice in worm infestation:
20-30 grams of leaves are taken and fresh juice is prepared or else decoction is made. This is given in an empty stomach in the dose of 20 ml in children and 40 ml in adults.
5-6 days medication helps to relieve pinworms effectively.
In cattle also this is practiced in higher doses.

Constipation

3. Bark decoction for constipation and blood borne diseases:
15-20 grams of stem bark is collected, added with 2 cups of water, boiled and reduced to half a cup. Filtered. This decoction is orally consumed to relieve constipation, distention of abdomen and chronic blood vitiation diseases.

As purgative

4. Fruit pulp as a purgative:
3-4 inches of the mature fruit is taken and pulp is removed. It is also de-seeded. To this sweet pulp, if necessary little jaggery can be added. This is administered in the evening hours. This relieves constipation by 2-3 purging.

Jaundice

5. Tender buds and flowers soup for jaundice:
A fist full of tender leaf buds or yellow colored flowers are taken and soup is made (by adding salt, jaggery and pepper). This can be taken in the place of Rasam as a soup, in a dose of 50 – 100 ml.

This helps to restore the appetite (carminative) and increases the taste in the food (as an appetizer).
Read related: Ayurvedic Home Remedy For Liver Diseases

Aragwadh, a beautiful green tree  where the flowers’ whole plant looks yellow as the leaves are completely shredded during flowering. Village people have a strong belief that exactly on the 30th day of Cassia flowering it starts raining. So, this tree is also used as a tool for weather forecasting!

Veterinary Uses

This is used in veterinary medicines also. Especially in worm infestation, food poisoning, regurgitation, distention of abdomen, constipation, strangulation of intestines etc.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD

Side effects

In a large dose, it may cause heavy purgation.
It is not indicated in diarrhea.

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Part used

fruit rind, root bark, flower, leaves.
In Ayurveda system of medicine its ripened pod pulps are used as good laxatives. Its stem bark and leaves are equally beneficial.

Dose

Bija churna (powder) – 3- 6 g
Mula Twak Kwatha – 10 – 15 ml
Pushpa Swarasa – 5- 10 mi
Phala majja ( Fruit pulp) – 10 – 20 g

Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurvedic medicines with Aragvadha ingredient –
Manasamitra vatakam – useful in neuro-psychiatric conditions
Maha Manjistadi kashayam – Useful in a wide variety of skin diseases
Kushta rakshasa taila – An herbal oil, used externally for the treatment of skin diseases.
Maharasnadi Kashayam – Useful in Vata disorders.
Aragwadhadi Kashayam – An herbal decoction with Aragvadha as main ingredient, used in vomiting, skin diseases, pruritis and non healing wounds
Aragwadhadi kashaya, Aragwadharishtha, Aragwadhavaleha etc are used in Ayurvedic therapeutics to treat various disease conditions. 

Cassia fistula for ascites

In Ascites with Pitta Dosha imbalance, milk boiled with Cassia fistula fruit pulp is administered for Virechana (Purgation) treatment. (Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 13)

Vernacular names, Sanskrit synonyms

Hindi name – Amaltas
English name – Purging cassia – because it causes purgation.
Telugu name – Rela
Tamil Name – Kondrem
Kannada name – Phalus
Malayalam name – Kanikonna
Marathi name – Bahva
Gujarati name – Garmalo
Bengali name – Sondal
Punjabi name – Girdanali
Farsi – Khiyar

Sanskrit Synonyms:
Aragwadha –Helps to destroy diseases
Rajavruksha – big, good looking, king size tree
Shampaka – Corrects the digestive process
Chaturangula – having four finger length fruits
Arevata – detoxifying
Suvarnaka – having good colour, gives good color to the body.
Deerghaphala – long fruits
Svarnabhushana – golden yellow coloured flowers
Kritamala – When flowering the tree looks adorned with garlands
Pragraha – Liked by people as it is beautiful
Amaha – Relieves Ama
Arogyasimbi – Pods are therapeutically very useful
Kushtasudana – Cures skin diseases
Jvarantaka – Relieves from fever
Vyadhighata – Useful in many diseases
Karnabharana – Flowers were used as ear ornaments

Classical categorization

Caraka – Kushtaghna, KAndughna
Susruta – Aragwadadi gana, Shyamadi gana
B. P. Ni – Haritakyadi varga 148 – 150

Varieties

Dhanvantari Nighantu and Raja Nighantu – Aragwada and Karnikara

Morphology

Habit – A medium sized perennial tree
Stem – Erect, branched, Cylindrical, woody, bark greenish grey in color
Leaf – alternate, petiolate, compound, wavy, reticulate venation
Inflorescence – Long axillary, pendulous racemes
Flower – Pedicellate with long pedicels, yellow, hypogynous
Fruit – A legume which is very long and cylindrical
Seeds – Flat, Albuminous, embedded in soft pulp

Useful part

Fruit

Pharmacological Action

Purgative
Febrifuge

Sthanika Karma (Systemic Action)

External Application – Indicated in various skin conditions. External application of its seed kernel and leaves are beneficial in wound, abscess, rheumatic skin conditions, joint disorders, etc.. Gargling with its decoction is indicated in throat and mouth diseases.

Internal administration-
Nervous system – Indicated in vata vyadhi (diseases of vata origin)Digestive System – Helps to eliminate morbid doshas from koshta (sramsana and Anulomana), indicated in Anorexia, constipation, Udavarta, abdominal cramp, hepatomegaly, Jaundice. (Best among mrudu virechana medicines.)
Circulatory System – Indicated in bleeding disorders, Gouty arthritis, edema etc.
Excretory System – Cold in potency, stimulate urine production. indicated in dysuria.
Respiratory System – Helps to eliminate kapha dosha (kapha nissaraka). Avaleha (herbal jam) prepared out of its flowers is beneficial in dry cough and breathing difficulty.
Tvak (Skin) – Indicated in skin diseases, reduce burning sensation
Tapakrama – Pacify pitta dosha, Eliminate morbid doshas (Ama shodhana). Root bark is highly recommended in fever.

Sanskrit Verse

Meaning of the shloka

Sanskrit Synonyms:
Aragwadha –Helps to destroy diseases
Rajavruksha – big, good looking, king size tree
Shampaka – Corrects the digestive process
Chaturangula – having four finger length fruits
Arevata – detoxifying
Suvarnaka – having good colour, gives good color to the body.
Deerghaphala – long fruits
Svarnabhushana – golden yellow coloured flowers

Qualities
Heavy, Sweet, Cold and mild purgative.

It is useful in
Jvara – fever
Hrudroga- Cardiac disorder
Pittasra – bleeding disorders
Vata udavarta – bloating
Shula – abdominal colic pain
Of all the herbs that are useful in bringing about mild purgation, Aragvadha is the best.
Aragwadha is continuously indicated throughout the course of treatment for fever. It helps to relieve Ama and detoxifies the digestive tract.
Because of its mild purgative action, it can be used in elderly and sensitive people.