Agati, also known as Sesbania grandiflora, is a type of West Indian pea and a member of the Fabaceae family. It can be found in several Asian nations, including India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. A classic south Indian dish called Agathi keerai is made with Sesbania grandiflora flower. Sesbania grandiflora is used as a traditional medicine alone or in combination with other medicinal plants to treat a variety of illnesses and infections such as swellings, headaches, anaemia, bronchitis, liver disorders, pains, and tumours, among others. The leaves of this plant are used as an antidote for tobacco-related issues as well as to cure anaemia, itching, fever, respiratory diseases, diuretic, purgative, and anthelmintic symptoms. Tribals have long used flowers to treat a range of illnesses, including headaches, cataracts, and insomnia.
Sesbania grandiflora, often known as a vegetable hummingbird, is a small, erect-branched tree that belongs to the Fabaceae family and is an evergreen or deciduous perennial legume. It is a rapidly growing, short-lived, firewood tree with few branches. Due to these species’ high nitrogen fixation capacities, Sesbania is used as green manure, intercropping, and ground cover in agroforestry and wood production systems, which promotes rapid development even in soils with low nitrogen levels. Studies have shown that S. grandiflora leaves are very nutrient-dense and include considerable amounts of proteins, fats, carbs, fibre, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Young leaves can be eaten and are frequently added to meals. In addition to essential amino acids, minerals, and vitamins (retinol, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, and nicotinic acid), leaves also contain pectin, triterpenoids, tannin, glycosides, grandiflorol, and saponins. Flavonoids include catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and luteolin.