Cassie Sweet Absolute

An essential oil called Cassie is distilled from the flowers. Cassie absolute is employed in preparation of violet bouquets and is extensively used in European perfumery. A deliciously scented essential oil, it has a fragrance of violets. A mature plant 10 years old can yield 9 kg of flowers each year. In a suitable climate, the trees begin to flower from their third year. The perfume is extracted from the flowers in form of concrete or pomade. Macerated flowers are placed in melted purified natural fat and allowed to stand for several hours. They are then replaced by fresh flowers and the process repeated until the fat is saturated with perfume. The fat is then melted, strained and cooled. Absolute is prepared by mixing pomade with alcohol and allowed to stand for 3 - 4 weeks at about -5°C. The alcohol is then separated and distilled over. The extract obtained is an olive-green liquid with strong odour of cassie flowers. The bark and the fruit are a source of tannin and used in making dyes and inks. The seedpods contain about 23% tannin. A gummy substance obtained from the young pods is used to mend pottery.

Traditional Medicine:
Flowers used topically to relieve headache. also used as antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, antidiarrheal, febrifuge, antirheumatic, stimulant, and insecticide in the form of an infusion. used in baths for dry skins. In India, leaves are used to treat inflammatory conditions and gonorrhea. root chewed for sore throat. dried gum ground to powder for diarrhea. Root has been used in treating stomach cancer in Venezuela, also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary tuberculosis.