Cassia Tora Seeds

Cassia seed is the ripe seed of the annual plant Cassia obtusifolia Linn., or Cassia tora Linn., of the Leguminosae/Fabaceae family. The plant is native to the tropics. It grows wild in India.

This is an upright plant with compound leaves in groupings of six. Bears 20-cm pods which contain many cylindrical seeds. In addition to being used as medicinal herbs, the seeds are also used as a mordant in dyeing. They can also be roasted and ground, used as a coffee substitute.

The seeds of Cassia Tora have been conventionally used throughout the Asian region for several centuries. Its roasted seeds have a favorable flavor, so it is used popularly as a tea in Korea. Cassia tora L. has been also prescribed in oriental herb medicine to treat night blindness, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and constipation