Chakshushaya

Chakshushya is famous as the Botanical name of Cassia absus and belongs to the family Caesalpiniaceae having a common name in English is Jasmeejaz or Chaksu seeds and in Hindi known as Chakur/Chimed and utilised in India. Chakshushya develops as a sticky plant in India especially in North-West India, at the foot of the Himalayas, Chakshushya signifies eyes that show the value of this herb only by its name.

Its seeds and leaves are edible. Chakshushya assists in maintaining the health of the liver and kidneys. The plant has different properties so this is effectively used in the Indian System of Medicine. This herb is famous as the Chakanu in Hindi, in Telugu this is named Chanubala vittulu, in Tamil, and it is Karum, In Unani its Chakshu.

Systemic Classification

Botanical Name – Cassia absus
Family – Caesalpiniaceae
Genus – Cassia
Species – C. absus

Habitat

This herb is an erect and short-lived perennial .1 to 1.2 cm high.
This is a short-lived plant unctuous herb generally having a life span of 1 year. Its leaves are togetherly grown, having long and curved sides from the above part. There is one groove in between two leaves, consisting of tikta and kashaya rasa that is bitter and astringent in taste.
Its flowers are long about 1-2 inches and are small, red in colour, and mixed with a yellowish tinge.
Its fruit is about 1 to 1 and a half inches long and flattened with a hairy surface and consists of seeds. Its colour is dark black in colour, the pulp is pale colored.
This herb is mainly found from the western sides of Himalaya pradesh to Sri-lanka.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent)
Guna (Quality) – Ruksha (Dry)
Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (Cold)
Vipaka (Post digestive effect) – Katu (Pungent)
Karma (Action) – Balances the Kapha and Pitta dosha
Projyang (Part used) – Seeds are used

Effects on Doshas

It balances the Kapha and Pitta dosha and so that helps to pacify the Kapha pitta-related disorders. The gunna that is responsible for this strategy is Tikta, Kashaya rasa.

Practical Uses

Its outer application will help in reducing inflammation and gives scrapping effects and is good for maintaining the health of the eyes.
This is a good absorbent, having good clotting power so can be given in bleeding disorders due to its kashaya rasa.
This works as a diuretic.
Chakshushya herb can be given for irritable bowel syndrome, bleeding stools, or diarrhoea and supports healthy bowel functions.
It also helps to promote healthy liver and kidney functions.
Its seeds help to relieve urinary obstruction and inflammation to promote the flow of urine.
In the respiratory system, due to its kapha hara guna this is used to cure many respiratory diseases like rhinitis, asthma, sinusitis, and COPD.
It can also help in managing the cases of poisoning caused by sthavar visha and jangama visha.
In hypertension, the seeds powder is used to maintain the levels.