Senna sophera, Cassia sophera, Kaasamarda, Ponnanthakara, Kasaunda, Pepper leaved Senna

Senna sophera (L.) Roxb.
Family: Leguminosae

Common name: Pepper leaved Senna, Kasondi Senna
Bengali: Kolkasunda কল্কাসুন্দা
Hindi: Kasaunda
Gujarati: કાસુંદરી
Malayalam: Ponnavirum, പൊന്നാന്തകര Ponnanthakara
Portuguese: cássia caromendeliana
Sanskrit: Kaasamarda
Spanish: algarrobilla
Tamil: Sulari, ஞாழல் Gnalal, Ponnaavaarai

Description: Perennial, Shrubs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems 1-2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Extrafloral nectary glands on petiole, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves even pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 5-9, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Flowers in axillary clusters or few-floweredracemes, 2-6 flowers, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat irregular, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Peta ls orange or yellow, Fertile stamens 6-8, Stamens heteromorphic, graded in size, Stamens completely free, separate, Filaments glabrous, Anthers opening by basal or terminal pores or slits, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit coriaceous or becoming woody, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit inflated or turgid, Fruit internally septate between the seeds, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seed with elliptical line or depression, pleurogram, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Used in Ayurveda and Sidha. Said to be poisonous, contradictory reports. Plant expectorant, a decoction used against  cough,  bronchitis,  asthma  and  respiratory  ailments.  Leaf  infusion drunk to treat fever and malaria, leaves decoction  for conjunctivitis; warm leaves poultice applied in hydrocele;  leaves juice expectorant, antiseptic, anthelmintic, febrifuge,  antirheumatic,  applied  against  ringworm;  powdered  dry leaves insecticides and insect repellent. Bark infusion antidiabetic; bark and powdered seeds mixed with honey given  in diabetes. Bark, leaves and seeds cathartic; paste of bark  or seed applied to treat ringworm and pimples. Seeds used  to treat fever; seed powder taken to treat urinary problems.  Roots decoction drunk to relieve painful menstruation and as  a postpartum remedy; root is considered to be expectorant. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]

Malaria, fevers, anthelmintic, rheumatism, anti-inflammatory. [Handbook of African Medicinal Plants, Second Edition]

Leaves, seeds, bark—cathartic; considered specific for ringworm and other skin diseases (bark may cause dermatitis); used for bronchitis and asthma. A paste of leaves is used for treating piles. An infusion of fresh leaves, with sugar, is given in jaundice. Plant is spasmolytic. Alcoholic extract of leaves is intestinal and bronchial muscle relaxant. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]

Seed: In the vicinity of Georgetown, Guyana the boiled seeds are used for the treatment of Bright's disease. [Medicinal Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana) ]

21 Published articles of Senna sophera