Pharmacological potentials of Cassia auriculata and Cassia fistula plants: A review.

People are using herbal medicines from centuries for safety, efficacy, cultural acceptability and lesser side effects. Plant and plant products have utilized with varying success to cure and prevent diseases throughout history. Therapeutically interesting and important drugs can be developed from plant sources which are used in traditional systems of medicines. Indian traditional system of medicine is based on empirical knowledge of observations and the experience over millennia and more than 5000 plants are used by different ethnic communities in India. Cassia is an indigenous medicinal plant genus, in which Cassia auriculata have large biodiversity in south India and Cassia fistula in north India. The present communication constitutes a review on the medicinal properties and pharmacological actions of Cassia auriculata and Cassia fistula used in Indian traditional medicine. These plants are known to contain various active principles of therapeutic value and to posses' biological activity against a number of diseases.