Foetid Cassia Chakramarda Remedies: Psoriasis, Dandruff, Headache

This article is by Dr M S Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu)PhD.
Chakramarda is commonly known as ‘The foetid cassia’ is used as vegetable in rural India. It is rich in nutritional and medicinal values.  
Botanical name Cassia tora Linn and
Leguminaceae family.

Charaka samhita and Sushruta samhitas Ayurvedic text books refer its usage in the conditions like
Krimi (worm infestation),
Twak vikara (skin diseases),
Shirashoola (head ache),
Kasa – cough, cold etc.

The plants are used by Chinese in eye and liver disorders. Seeds (also called Cassia tora beans / Chinese coffee beans) are made into decoction or hot infusion and used. Leaves are laxatives, used in constipation, blood borne disorders and haemorroids.

Chopra reports its chemical constituents as emodine, kaempherol-3-diglucoside, carotene, ascorbic acid and few fixed oils. The leaves and seeds are reported to be containing several amino acids. The other important constituents identified are choline, betaine, trigonelline and stachydrine.
Seeds and leaves are used in traditional medicine.
Read related: Cassia tora – Chakramarda Uses, Dose, Research

Home remedies

Skin itching, redness

Leaf juice application in skin itching and redness :
Mature leaves are taken and crushed well and squeezed. This is applied over the minor skin ailments such as allergic hives with itching and redness. 3-4 days medication pacifies those complaints.

Intestinal parasites

Seed hot infusion in intestinal parasites:
1-2 teaspoon of seed or seed powder is added to hot water (100 ml) and kept for a while. This is administered once daily for 4-5 days. It helps to relieve from the complaint of abdominal worms.

Urticaria, headache

Chinese coffee bean decoction in urticaria rashes and headache:
The seed decoction is administered in the dose of 40-50 ml twice daily in adults and 10-15 ml in children. Little jaggery and cumin seed powder may be added to this. This is effective in blood borne disorders, urticarial rashes and headache.
General method of preparation of decoction (kashaya) – 1 tablespoon of powder is added with 2 cups of water, boiled and reduced to 1 cup, filtered.

Chronic skin disorders

Seed paste with sulfur in chronic skin disorders:
Seeds are rubbed well along with sulfur. While rubbing little sesame oil may be added. This paste is applied over the lesions in cases like chronic skin diseases and steroid dependent skin troubles, psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis.

Ulcers, dandruff

Seed oil for ulcers, dandruff and wounds:
The seed oil is used to apply over the scalp or skin lesions in the conditions  like ulcers, dandruff and wounds.
Read related: Dandruff – Ayurvedic Treatment, Herbs, Oils, Home Remedies

Food can be a medicine. Medicine should not be our food. The plants like Chakramarda if once again popularized among the public regarding its potent health benefits being a vegetable, undoubtedly good market can be made and the agriculture field may also find new crop and good benefit too. Meanwhile we the consumers will get the age old vegetable drug for our routine use in kitchens.
Consult Dr Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD