A review on anthraquinones isolated from <i>Cassia</i> species and their applications

291-319Cassia Linn. (Family <span style="font-family:Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-hansi-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:symbol"="" lang="EN-GB">- Caesalpiniaceae) is a large tropical genus with about 600 species of herbs, shrubs and trees. Most of the plants of the genus are wellknown in Indian system of medicine for their cathartic, purgative and antibiotic properties. Many compounds of structural significance and medicinal importance have been reported from different species of this genus. Species of Cassia are rich source of anthraquinones which are wellknown as natural dyes, and are gaining importance in recent years due to environmental pollution caused by synthetic dyes. This paper attempts to give an overview of literature on the isolated and characterized anthraquinones from various Cassia species and their repoted applications. Besides dye yielding properties they are used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Thus plants of Cassia species can serve as commercial source of naturaly occurring anthraquinones.