 Botany
Sesban is an erect, branched, stout, shrubby plant, 2 to 3 meters in height. Leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long, with 9 to 20 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are oblong, 2 to 3 centimeters long. Flowers are few, yellow, about 1.5 centimeters long, borne on axillary racemes about 10 centimeters in length. Pods are subcylindric or somewhat flattened, slightly twisted, pendulous, about 20 centimeters long, 3 millimeters wide, and depressed between the seeds.
Distribution
- Only in Manila.
- Introduced.
- Found in the tropics of both hemispheres.
Constituents
- Seed contains fat, 4.8%; albuminoids, 33.7%; carbohydrates, 18.2%; cellulose, 28.3%; and ash, 4.2%.
- Leaves rich in saponins.
- Leaves yield a high crude protein content, 25 to 30%; a little tannin and other polyphenolics.
Properties
- Leaves considered purgative, demulcent, maturant, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory.
- Seeds considered stimulant, emmenagogue, astringent.
 Parts used
Leaves, seeds.
Uses
Folkloric
- Poultice of leaves promote suppuration of boils and abscesses and absorption of hydrocoele and infllammatory rheumatic swellings.
-In Decca, juice of fresh leaves used as anthelmintic.
- Seeds used for diarrhea and excessive menstrual flow; also for reducing splenic enlargment.
- Ointment used for itches and various skin eruptions.
- Juice of bark also used for skin eruptions and itching.
- Bruised roots made into paste, applied to scorpion stings.
Studies
• Anthelmintic: The anthelmintic activity of aqueous extracts from 14 plants species from 7 families in the Sudanese flora was evaluated using the free living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans as test organism. Extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca and Sesbania sesban were the most effective (LC50 0.8 and 8.0 mg/mL respectively.
 • Anti-Inflammatory: (1) Study showed the topical formulation of crude saponins extract showed significant anti-inflammatory activity, comparable to the activity of the reference drug, diclofenac. (2) Results showed high NO (nitrous oxide) level in S. grandiflora and S. sesban extracts may suppress initial stages of immune response in carrageenan and adjuvant injection models probably through inhibition of iNOS expression through a feedback inhibition mechanism.
• Fertility Control of Female: Study of the effect of Sesbania sesban seed powder on female albino rats showed inhibition of ovarian function, change of uterine structure and prevention of implantation with 100% control of fertility.
• Spermicidal: Oleanolic acid 3-B-D-gluccuronide (OAG), an active principle isolated from the root extracts of Sesbania sesban exhibited significant dose-dependent spermicidal activity.
• Anti-Diabetic / Hypolipidemic: Study of aqueous extracts of leaves in STZ-induced diabetic rats showed significant increase in serum insulin and HDL levels and decrease in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol and triglycerides when compared to glibenclamide.
• Increased Lactation / Growth Rate: Study concluded that supplementation of S. sesban during lactation improved milk yield of ewes and growth rate of lambs.
• Diabetic Renoprotective: Study showed an aqueous extract of S. sesban leaves reduced the development of diabetic nephropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
• Nutritive Value of Leaves: Study of leaves showed a high crude protein content, 25 to 30%, and is a useful source of protein for ruminant diets and a source of supplement fodder for livestock.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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