title: Cassia spectabilis (DC) Irwin et Barn: a promising traditional herb in health improvement.
abstract: The genus Cassia, comprising about 600 species widely distributed worldwide is well known for its diverse biological and pharmacological properties. Cassia spectabilis (sin Senna spectabilis) (DC) Irwin et Barn (Fabaceae) is widely grown as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. C. spectabilis has been commonly used in traditional medicine for many years. Information in the biomedical literature has indicated the presence of a variety of medicinally-important chemical constituents in C. spectabilis. Pharmacological studies by various groups of investigators have shown that C. spectabilis possesses significant biological activity, such as antibacterial, antibiofilm, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Beside this, toxicity studies of this plant have revealed no toxic effect on mice. In view of the immense medicinal importance of C. spectabilis, this review aimed at compiling all currently available information on C. spectabilis’s botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and mechanism of actions, toxicology and its ethnomedicinal uses.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine-INFORMM, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia. jothylachumy@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Subramanion L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jothy
authors.forename: Angeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torey
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Darah
authors.forename: Yee Siew
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choong
authors.forename: Dharmaraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saravanan
authors.forename: Yeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lachimanan Yoga
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Latha
authors.forename: Subramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deivanai
authors.forename: Sreenivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002366:Cassia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012676:Senna Extract / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D028321:Plant Preparations; D012676:Senna Extract