It is a deciduous, medium-sized tree with a gray, smooth, exfoliating bark. 4 to 8 pairs of leaflets are seen, distinctly stalked, oblong or ovate, with a silvery pubescence; the flowers are bright yellow, in axillary, pendulous, lax racemes; the pods are cylindrical, smooth, hard, dark brown or black; the seeds light brown, hard, shiny, biconcave and are embedded in sweetish pulp.

Anticancer, antiviral and lowers blood sugar (stem bark and pod), laxative and antiinflammatory (pod pulp), reduces total lipids, reduces total cholesterol everywhere but the brain, improves the level of triglycerides.

Sinnosides A and B, barbaloin, aloin, rhein and its glucoside, butyric and formic acids (and their ethyl esters) and oxalic acid (pod pulp), fistulin (flower), fistulic acid (pod), galactomannan (seed).

In tuberculosis, reducing fever and as a tonic (seed and fruit), in rheumatism, gout, blood poisoning, dysentery, anthrax, diabetes, leprosy, liver problems (including biliousness) and for varicose veins (including shrinking them) (pod pulp).

There are no known serious human toxic reaction cases from the traditional therapeutic use of the plant. However, it is recommended not to exceed its use due to its laxative effect.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.