Senna tora. C. obtusifolia. 决 明 子 Jué míng zĭ- "The seeds of realized brightness"   Cassia seed   Family: Leguminosae   
See also, Senna leaf
PART USED: Seed- harvested in Autumn when seeds are ripe
Nature: cool, cold    FLAVOR: Bitter, salty, sweet, pleasant  CHANNEL: Liver, Gall Bladder, Large Intestine, Kidney
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Reducing Fire
1. Clear Liver Fire. Clear Heat in Liver.[4] Improve visual acuity.[1,4,5] Clear externally contracted Wind Heat.[5] Suppress Liver Yang.
2. Clears Liver and benefits the eyes.[5] Purifies the Liver and supports the Kidney.[1]
3. Unblocks the bowels.[5] Moistens the intestines.[4,5] Expels gas.[1] Relax the Bowels.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Low Blood Pressure.[4] Diarrhea.[4]
ACTIONS INDICATIONS
1. Liver Heat or externally contracted Wind Heat:[4] with redness swelling, itchyness and pain of the eye.[4,5] Photophobia,[5] and excessive lacrimation. Swollen red eyes. Pterygiums.  Red eyes. Blurred vision. Excessive tears- hyperlachrimation.[4]
2. Hyperactivity of Liver Yang or Liver Fire: red painful eyes, photophobia, excessive tearing, headache,[4,5] dizziness, restlessness and bad temper.[5] Hypertension-[4] Recently used for hypertension. Vertigo. Dull vision due to Kidney Yin deficiency.[4]
3. Hypercolesterinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis.
4. Constipation due to accumulation of Heat or Dryness of the  intestine. Dry and infrequent stools or chonic constipation, expecially when due to Liver Yin deficiency.[5]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Do not used with Cannabis sativa- Huo ma ren. Not recommended for use in cases with diarreha or hypotension.
PATENT COMBINATIONS
- Yin deficiency with hyperactivity of Yang: Tonifies and nourishes the Liver and Kidney, subdude Yang hyperactitiy, extinguishes internal Wind, promotes diuresis Achyranthes & Cassia- Yang yin jiang ya fang.
COMBINATIONS
COMPARISON: with Chrysanthemum morifolium- Ju hua
Jue ming zi is more effective at clearing Liver fire and benefiting the Kidneys than Ju hua, while the latter more effectively pacifies the Liver and disperses Wind Heat.[5]
PREPARATIONS: Seed. Decoction. Generally 9-15 g, crushed before decocting, 40-50 g for lowering blood lipids.[3]   Decoction- Ripe seed  4-12 g.[1]  Dried ripe seed 9-15 g.[2,4,5] If used alone , up to 30 g.[5] Dry fried, this herb tonifies the LIver and is used for eye problems due to Liver and Kidney deficiency.[5] Good quality is full and yellowish red in color.[5]
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
References
[1] Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica- Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble- Eastland Press 1986 Seattle Washington ISBN 0-939616-15-7.

Research

Cassia tora (Leguminosae) seed extract alleviates high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver.
Tzeng TF, Lu HJ, Liou SS, Chang CJ, Liu IM.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Cassia tora seeds on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis, and elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind its effects. After being fed a HFD for two weeks, rats were orally dosed with Cassia seed ethanol extract (CSEE) (100, 200, or 300mg/kg) once daily for 8weeks. CSEE induced dose-dependent reductions in plasma lipid levels, as well as decreased the over hepatic lipid accumulation. Furthermore, CSEE treatment improved HFD-induced hepatic histological lesions. CSEE enhanced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its primary downstream targeting enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, up-regulated the gene expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, and down-regulated sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthase protein levels in the livers of HFD-fed rats. AMPK inhibition by compound C retarded CSEE-induced reduction in triglyceride accumulation in HepG2 cells stimulated by insulin. Our findings suggest that CSEE may regulate hepatic lipid homeostasis related with an AMPK-dependent signaling pathway. Targeting AMPK activation with CSEE may represent a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
PMID: 23026700 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.09.024   Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 Jan;51:194-201. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.09.024. Epub 2012 Sep 28. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant properties of water extracts from Cassia tora L. in relation to the degree of roasting.
Yen GC, Chuang DY.
Abstract
The antioxidant properties of water extracts from Cassia tora L. (WECT) prepared under different degrees of roasting were investigated. The water extracts of unroasted C. tora L. (WEUCT) showed 94% inhibition of peroxidation of linoleic acid at a dose of 0.2 mg/mL, which was higher than that of alpha-tocopherol (82%). Water extracts prepared from C. tora L. roasted at 175 degrees C for 5 min and at 200 degrees C for 5 min exhibited 83% and 82%, respectively, inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation. This result indicated that the antioxidant activities of WECT decreased with longer roasting time or higher roasting temperature. The IC(50) of WEUCT in liposome oxidation induced by the Fenton reaction was 0.41 mg/mL, which was higher than that of alpha-tocopherol (IC(50) = 0.55 mg/mL). WEUCT also exhibited good antioxidant activity in enzymatic and nonenzymatic microsome oxidative systems. The water extracts of roasted C. tora L. increased in the degree of browning and produced chemiluminescence when compared with the unroasted sample. However, the total polyphenolic compounds of WECT decreased after the roasting process finished. In conclusion, the decrease in the antioxidant activity of water extracts from roasted C. tora L. might have been due to the degradation of Maillard reaction products and the decrease of polyphenolic compounds.
PMID: 10898619  J Agric Food Chem. 2000 Jul;48(7):2760-5. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cassia tora Seed Extract and Its Active Compound Aurantio-obtusin Inhibit Allergic Responses in IgE-Mediated Mast Cells and Anaphylactic Models.
Kim M, Lim SJ, Lee HJ, Nho CW.
Abstract
Cassia tora seed is widely used due to its various biological properties including anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there has been no report of the effects of C. tora seed extract (CTE) on immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic responses. In this research, we demonstrated the effects of CTE and its active compound aurantio-obtusin on IgE-sensitized allergic reactions in mast cells and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). CTE and aurantio-obtusin suppressed degranulation, histamine production, and reactive oxygen species generation and inhibited the production and mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-4. CTE and aurantio-obtusin also suppressed the prostaglandin E2 production and expression of cyclooxygenase 2. Furthermore, CTE and aurantio-obtusin suppressed IgE-mediated FcεRI signaling such as phosphorylation of Syk, protein kinase Cμ, phospholipase Cγ, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases. CTE and aurantio-obtusin blocked mast cell-dependent PCA in IgE-mediated mice. These results suggest that CTE and aurantio-obtusin are a beneficial treatment for allergy-related diseases.
PMID: 26434611 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03836  J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Oct 21;63(41):9037-46. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03836. Epub 2015 Oct 13. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
Hypolipidemic effect of soluble fiber isolated from seeds of Cassia tora Linn. in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.
Cho IJ, Lee C, Ha TY.
Abstract
Soluble fibers isolated from the seeds of Cassia tora Linn. (SFC) have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their phenomenal rheological behavior. In this study were investigated the effects of SFC on lipid metabolism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed one of three experimental diets, a normal diet, a high-cholesterol diet, or a high-cholesterol diet with 5% SFC, for 5 weeks. The serum concentration of total cholesterol in rats fed SFC was 27% lower (p < 0.05) compared to that of the control group, but the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was increased in the SFC group. Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in rats fed the SFC diet. In addition, fecal bile acid and lipid excretion was significantly increased by SFC consumption. These results indicate that SFC enhances fecal lipid excretion and may cause a reduction in serum and hepatic lipid concentrations in rats.
PMID: 17300158 DOI: 10.1021/jf0622127   ncbi.nlm.nih.gov