Chakunda Cassia tora herb used by Ayurvedic doctors

Chakunda is a small plant that grows in dry soil in tropical India. It is an Ayurvedic herb and also used in Chinese medicine.

As of April 2010 we could not find published human research with Chakunda herb.

Chakunda  seed composition
Chakunda seeds contain anthraquinones including aurantio-obtusin, chryso-obtusin, obtusin, chryso-obtusin-2-O-beta-D-glucoside, physcion, emodin, chrysophanol, obtusifolin, and obtusifolin-2-O-beta-D-glucoside.

Cancer benefit
Leaves of Cassia tora as a novel cancer therapeutic--an in vitro study.
Toxicol In Vitro. 2009 Sep; Rejiya CS, Cibin TR, Abraham A. Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, Kerala, India.
Cassia tora Linn (Leguminacea) is a medicinal plant traditionally used as laxative, for the treatment of leprosy and various skin disorders. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of leaf showed the presence of polyphenols (3.7 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram dried leaves). The presence of phenolic compound prompted us to evaluate its antioxidant and antiproliferative potential. In the present study C. tora methanolic leaf extract (CTME) was evaluated for its nitric oxide scavenging activity and reducing power assays using Rutin and BHT as standards. The extract was studied for its lipid peroxidation inhibition assay using rat liver and brain. In all assays, a correlation existed between concentration of extract and percentage inhibition of free radical, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The antiproliferative activity of CTME with Cisplatin, anticancer drug was studied using human cervical cancer cells (HeLa). Proliferation of HeLa was measured by MTT assay, cell DNA content by modified diphenylamine method and apoptosis by Caspase 3 activity. The plant extract induced a marked concentration dependent inhibition on proliferation, reduced DNA content and apoptosis in HeLa. These results clearly indicate that C. tora is effective against free radical mediated diseases.

Reducing cholesterol
Hypolipidemic effect of soluble fiber isolated from seeds of Cassia tora Linn. ( chakunda ) in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.
J Agric Food Chem. 2007 February. Division of Food Function Research, Korea Food Research Institute, 46-1 Baekhyun-Dong, Bundang-Gu, Songnam-Si, Kyunggi-Do 463-746, Republic of Korea.
Soluble fibers isolated from the seeds of chakunda have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their phenomenal rheological behavior. In this study were investigated the effects of chakunda 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% Cassia tora, for 5 weeks. The serum concentration of total cholesterol in rats fed chakunda was 27% lower compared to that of the control group, but the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was increased in the chakunda group. Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced significantly in rats fed the  chakunda diet. In addition, fecal bile acid and lipid excretion was significantly increased by chakunda consumption. These results indicate that chakunda enhances fecal lipid excretion and may cause a reduction in serum and hepatic lipid concentrations in rats.

Is it okay to take Chakunda herb together with gymnema herb?
    No such research has been published to determine safety or interactions.

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