Indian Senna

June 10th, 2007

Botanical name: Cassia Agustifolia
Indian name : Bhumiari

Synonyms:—Alexandrian Senna. Nubian Senna. Cassia Senna. Cassia lenitiva. Cassia Lanceolata. Cassia officinalis. Cassia aethiopica. Senna acutifolia. Egyptian Senna. Sene de la palthe. Tinnevelly Senna. Cassia angustifolia. East Indian Senna.
Parts Used-:–Dried leaflets, pods.
Habitat:—Egypt, Nubia, Arabia, Sennar.
Specifications:
It is a small bushy plant.The leaves have pair of leaflets. The plant has flowers in racemes
and broadly oblong and slightly curved pods.
It is a small perennial under shrub below 1.2 Mtrs in hight with ascendig branches. .The leaves are large, compound and pinnate about +/- 5 Cms long on tops and bear 5-8 sets of leaves each on a very small stalk. The flowers are bright yellow in color arranged in auxilliary / sub-terminal effect. The pods are slightly curved 3.5-6.5 cms long and 1.5 cms wide(broad).It contains alkaloid called Sennocides which 2.5 to 3.0 %.

Senna (Cassia senna, Cassia Acutifolia) is a laxative herb of the leaves and pods of the senna shrub that grows in India, Pakistan, North Africa, and China. From time immemorial mankind discovered and adopted Senna for medicinal application. For centuries physicians used Senna, long considered a â€œcleansing herb,â€ as a laxative in northern Africa, India, China, and throughout South-western Asia almost exclusively to treat constipation.

While research botanists recorded African & Arabian Senna as the finest specimen, distinct from the adulterated mixtures exported during colonial travel, the two most widely exported today and officially recognised are Cassia acutifolia and Cassia angustifolia (India or Tinnevelly Senna).

Cassia acutifolia, yielding the finest and most valuable variety of the drug is a small shrub about 2 feet high. The stem is erect, smooth, and pale green, with long, spreading branches, bearing leaflets in four or five pairs, averaging an inch long, lanceolate or obovate, unequally oblique at the base, veins distinct on the under surface, brittle, greyish-green, of a faint, peculiar odour, and mucilaginous, sweetish taste. The form of the base, and freedom from bitterness, distinguish the Senna from the Argel leaves, which are also thicker and stiffer. The flowers are small and yellow. The pods are broadly oblong, about 2 inches long by 7/8 inch broad, and contain about six seeds.

Medicinal Action and Uses-:–Purgative. Its action being chiefly on the lower bowel, it is especially suitable in habitual costiveness. It increases the peristaltic movements of the colon by its local action upon the intestinal wall. Its active principle must pass out of the system in the secretions unaltered, for when Senna is taken by nurses, the suckling infant becomes purged. It acts neither as a sedative nor as a refrigerant, but has a slight, stimulating influence. In addition to the nauseating taste, it is apt to cause sickness, and griping pains, so that few can take it alone; but these characteristics can be overcome or removed, when it is well adapted for children, elderly persons, and delicate women. The colouring matter is absorbable, and twenty or thirty minutes after the ingestion of the drug it appears in the urine, and may be recognized by a red colour on the addition of ammonia.

The addition of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, or other aromatics are excellent correctives of the nauseous effects. A teaspoonful of cream of tartar to a teacupful of the decoction of infusion of Senna, is a mild and pleasant cathartic, well suited for women if required soon after delivery. Some practitioners add neutral laxative salts, or saccharine and aromatic substances. The purgative effect is increased by the addition of pure bitters; the decoction of guaiacum is said to answer a similar purpose. Senna is contraindicated in an inflammatory condition of the alimentary canal, hemorrhoids, prolapsus, ani, etc. The well-known ‘black draught’ is a combination of Senna and Gentian, with any aromatic, as cardamom or coriander seeds, or the rind of the Seville orange. The term ‘black draught,’ it is stated, should never be used, as mistakes have been made in reading the prescriptions, and ‘black drop’ or vinegar of opium has been given instead, several deaths having been caused in this way.

SENNA PODS, or the dried, ripe fruits, are official in the British Pharmacopceia, though the quantity is restricted, as an adulterant, in the United States Pharmacopoeia.

Senna Pods

They are milder in their effects than the leaflets, as the griping is largely due to the resin, and the pods contain none, but have about 25 per cent more cathartie acid and emodin than the leaves, without volatile oil. From 6 to 12 pods for the adult, or from 3 to 6 for the young or very aged, infused in a claret-glass of cold water, act mildly but thoroughly upon the whole intestine.

The fluid extract was formerly treated with alcohol for the removal of the griping principles, but the process was deleted from the United States Pharmacopoeia. The fluid extract is a dark, blackish, thick and somewhat turbid liquid, with a strong flavour of Senna. It is well adapted for exhibition with saline cathartics, such as Epsom salt or cream of tartar. In this ease not more than half the full dose should be given at once. The British Pharmacopoeia 1898 ‘Liquor Sennae Concentratus’ was more like a concentrated infusion than a fluid extraet, but had the same strength as the latter, the menstrum being distilled water; tincture of ginger and alcohol being added.

The infusion of Senna, or Senna Tea, consists of 100 grams of Senna leaves, 5 grams of sliced Ginger, 1,000 millilitres of distilled water, boiling. Infuse in a covered vessel for fifteen minutes, and strain, while hot. The United States Pharmacopoeia prefers coriander to ginger. The infusion deposits, on exposure to air, a yellowish precipitate, so it is advisable to make it in very small quantities, as the deposit aggravates its griping tendency. It is usual to prescribe manna and one of the saline cathartics with it. The cold infusion is said to be less unpleasant in taste, and equal in strength to the hot.

SYRUP OF SENNA is prepared by mixing 8 fluid ounces, 218 minims of fluid extract of Senna, with 81 minims of oil of Coriander and sufficient syrup to make 33 fluid ounces (6 1/2 fluid drachms).

The Aromatic Syrup includes also jalap, rhubarb, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, oil of lemon, sugar, and diluted alcohol.

The Compound Syrup includes rhubarb, frangula, methyl salicylate, alcohol, and syrup.

Advantages: : Perhaps , you are aware, plant based drug production has become an important segment of pharmaceutical industries and phytochemicals are extensively used in the production of the many a modern drugs. The laxative principles of Sennocides extracted from Senna Leaves/Pods are important ingredients. It acts by increasing peristaltic movements by the colon. Its tincture, concentrate and powder have wide usage in Pharmaceuticals industries as Laxative Stimulant, Verimfuge, Cathartic and Specially suitable for habitual constipation.

Senna is a powerful cathartic used in the treatment of constipation, working through a stimulation of intestinal peristalsis. It is vital to recognize, however, that the constipation is a result of something else and not the initial cause and that this has to be sought and dealt with.

Inflammatory skin conditions :
The leaves were sometimes made into a paste and applied to various skin diseases.

It is also used in hypertension and obesity.
Senna leaf is a strong anthraquinone- containing purgative that is used only in acute constipation.Though senna is a laxative, which theoretically should be good for vata, it is a peristalsis enhancer that will provoke vata in the long run through its bitter taste and cold energy.Because of its substantial squeezing action, senna is usually used along with carminative herbs, such as ginger and fennel.

Uses:
Senna leaves are very effective pergative for chieldren, weak and elderly persons. They may cause nausea and griping unless taken with aeromatics like ginger, cloves, dill,fennel,coriander and orange peel.Senna pods can also be used as a pergative but are milder and slower in action than leaves.

Intestinal Worms:
Indian senna is effective as a safe pergative for expelling intestinal worms.Senna can be used as an anthelmentic for killing intestinal worms.

Rheumatism:
Senna leaves are also effective in biliousness, gout and rheumatism, if adminstered in the same manner as for constipation.

Eczema:
A paste of dried leaves made with vinegar as a base can be used for acne,eczema and pimples.The leaves of the plant can be given as a infusion and decoction , powder or confection. One of the best preparations is made by soaking the leaves in water in a iron bowel overnight. The strained liquid should be taken in in the morning in empty stomach.

Precautions:
The sennosides in a senna are cathartic.Like all anthraquinones they irritate the bowel wall , stimulation evacuation. Regular use of this herb is not advised since the system can easily become dependent on it.The remedy should not be used in case of spasmodic constipation.Similarly, it should not be given in inflamatory conditions of the alimentary canal,fever,piles and in case of excessive blood loss during menstruation.

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Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only.Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Source: Miracles of Herbs

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