Description

Cassia absus, referred to in Indian vernacular as Chasku or Chaksu, is a small erect herb of the family Fabaceae documented across the arid and semi-arid tracts of the Indian subcontinent from Rajasthan to the Deccan. Its seeds, listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, have been traditionally employed in classical ophthalmic formulations including Anjana preparations — collyrium-type applications cited in the Sushruta Samhita for conditions affecting the cornea and conjunctiva. The plant is also documented in Unani texts under the name Hab-ul-Hamam. Field collections occur principally in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where the plant colonises open, sandy scrubland. This entry is distinct from the separately catalogued Cassia absus entry and represents the dried seed product specifically.