Uses of CASSIA ALATA/ CANDLE LEAF PLANT: Asunwon Egba

Casia Alata

Other names include “Craw Craw Plant” “Ring Worm Shrub” Commonly called” Asunwon Egba” the Yoruba.

It is botanically known as "Senna alata, Family Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae".

This plant commonly grow around bush, is also called “King of Plants”

This shrub grows up to 2.5 meters in height. This plant work with time by closing up is leaves at night and opens up in the morning.

The leaves are green with a yellow flower like a candle. Leaflets are oblong, obtuse, and membranous; flowers seen in long terminal spikes, yellow and showy. Fruits are green angulated dehiscent pods and contain numerous compressed brown colour ovate seeds.

When I visited a city in South Carolina in United States, we needed to use it for tea, it was so scarce, we went from one garden shop to another looking for it, it was not in stock. This multipurpose herb was not too common. But to my great surprise and excitement I found right behind the window of our house part of it had chopped off, to have clean environment. I was so happy to find it to use after so many failed effort.

I hope you will find it where it is located around you.

Many of us have seen it but never know it is use that is why I am happy to tell you about this wonderful healing plant. This plant is useful in diverse ways.

This natural healing herb, the barks, its exotic leaves and sweet scented vegetables is a blessing to man.

Herbal Use of Cassia Alata:

·        It can be taken as tea.

·        Boil with all the parts, the leaf, the flower and the seed together and drink.

·        Pounded as mixed with shea butter for external use

·        It can be dried.

·        It can be eaten fresh.

·        The decoction with rock salt and some other dry plants are taken three times a week on an empty stomach as an effective treatment for chronic gonorrhea

·        A root decoction of the plant is taken to regulate menstrual flow.

·        It helps in delivery of new born babies

·        It can be use as first aid to treat a fresh cut or wounds.

·        Sap from the fresh leaves of the plant is a remedy for parasitic skin diseases,

·        It aids digestion and stops constipation.

·        It is used in the treatment of pile, (Jedi-Jedi), hemorrhoids.

·        It can be used in the treatment of bronchitis, asthma and cough.

·        It expels intestinal worms.

·        Taking as tea or eating takes care of sexual weakness.

Useful part    :   Leaves, Flowers, Roots.

You can plant it your garden.

Caution: Not to be taken by pregnant women.