A laxative drug obtained from the leaves and pods of the Arabian shrubs
CASSIA ACUTIFOLIA and CASSIA ANGUSTIFOLIA, which stimulates bowel contractions. It may colour the urine brown or red.
The leaves of various species of Cassia senna. It is one of the most active of the simple laxative drugs (see LAXATIVES). Senna is excreted in the urine, giving it a dark red or yellow colour. In the case of nursing mothers, some of the drug is excreted in the milk and may affect the infant. A standardised preparation of senna, Senokot®, is widely used for the management of constipation in children and old people. A side-e?ect of senna is HYPOKALAEMIA; like other laxatives, it should not be used too often.
Cassia acutifolia. N.O. Leguminosae.
Synonym: Alexandrian Senna, Cassia, East Indian Senna, Tinnevelly Senna.
Habitat: Imported from Alexandria, East Indies, and the Near East.
Features ? Leaves, grey-green, lanceolate, unequal and varying at the base, between half an inch and one and a half inches long, and about a third of an inch across. Tinnevelly Senna leaves are broader near the middle and proportionately longer than the Alexandrian leaves. The commercial "Mecca Senna" is usually badly picked, and of poor quality generally. Pods (Alexandrian) green, about two inches by a quarter-inch ; East Indian narrower and darker coloured. Taste, sickly sweet.Part used ? Leaves, pods.
Action: Laxative, cathartic.
For occasional and chronic constipation, dyspepsia, and disordered stomach. Two ounces of the leaves may be infused in 1 pint of boiling water and allowed to stand for an hour before use in wineglass doses. Any possibility of griping will be avoided if 1 drachm of Ginger is added to the Senna leaves before infusing.The Alexandrian leaves and pods are considered superior to the East Indian kind as, with most people, they act more mildly, but with equal certainty.
n. any of various preparations of the dried fruits of certain shrubs of the genus Cassia, used as a stimulant *laxative to relieve constipation. Side-effects do not usually occur, but severe diarrhoea may follow large doses.
Cassia sennaCaesalpiniaceaeSan: Svarnapatri;Hin: Sanay, Sana Ka Patt;Ben: Sonamukhi;Mal: Sunnamukki, Chonnamukki, Nilavaka;Tam: Nilavirai, Nilavakai;Tel: NetatangeduImportance: Indian Senna or Tinnevelly senna is a shrub very highly esteemed in India for its medicinal value. The leaves are useful in constipation, abdominal disorders, leprosy, skin diseases, leucoderma, splenomegaly, hepatopathy, jaundice, helminthiasis, dyspepsia, cough, bronchitis, typhoid fever, anaemia, tumours and vitiated conditions of pitta and vata (Warrier et al,1994). It is used in Ayurvedic preparations; “Pancha Sakara Churna”, “Shat Sakara Churna” and “Madhu Yastyadi Churna” used for constipation. Its use is widespread in Unani system and some of the important products of this system containing senna are “Itrifal Mulayyin”, “Jawarish Ood Mulayyin”, “Hab Shabyar”, “Sufuf Mulliyin”, “Sharbat Ahmad Shahi”, etc. used as a mild laxative (Thakur et al, 1989).Distribution: The plant is of Mediterranean origin. It is found in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, parts of Pakistan and Kutch area of Gujarat. It is largely cultivated in Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Madurai and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu.Botany: The genus Cassia, belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae, comprises of a number of species, namely,C. senna Linn. syn. C. angustifolia Vahl.C. absus Linn.C. alata Linn.C. auriculata Linn.C. burmanni Wight. syn. C. obovata (Linn.) Collad.C. glauca Lam.C. javanica Linn.C. mimosoides Linn.C. obtusifolia Linn. syn. C. tora Linn.C. occidentalis Linn.C. pumila Lam.C. slamea Lam.C. acutifolia Delile.C. sophera Linn.C. senna is a shrub or undershrub, 60-75cm in height with pale subterete or obtusely angled erect or spreading branches. Leaves are paripinnate. Leaflets are 5-8 in number, ovate-lanceolate and glabrous. Flowers are yellowish, many and arranged in axillary racemes. Fruits are flat legumes, greenish brown to dark brown and nearly smooth (Chopra et al,1980, Warrier et al,1994).In commerce, the leaves and pods obtained from C. senna are known as “ Tinnevelly Senna” and those from C. acutifolia Delile. as “Alexandrian Senna”. The leaves of C. acutifolia are narrower than C. senna, otherwise both resemble to a large extent (Thakur et al, 1989). All the true Sennas have the portions of their leaves unequally divided. In some kinds the lower part of one side is reduced to little more than a line in breadth, while the other is from a quarter to half an inch in breadth. The drug known under the name of East Indian Senna is nearly free from adulteration; and as its properties appear identical with those of the Alexandrian and the price being less, it probably will supersede it in general practice. Its size and shape readily identify it (Graves, 1996).Agrotechnology: The plant requires a mild subtropical climate with warm winters which are free from frost for its growth. Semiarid areas with adequate irrigation facilities are ideal for cultivation. Areas having high rainfall, humidity and poor drainage are not suitable. Light or medium loamy soils with adequate drainage and pH varying from 7.0-8.2 are preferable. In South India both summer and winter crops are possible. The plant is propagated by seeds. The seed rate required is 15-20kg/ha. Seeds are sown in October-November (winter rainfed crop) or in February-March (irrigated crop). Higher seed rate is required for unirrigated crop. Seeds are sown in lines 30cm apart. Application of 5-10t of FYM/ha before planting or raising a green manure crop is beneficial. About 40kg N and 25-50kg P2O5/ha applied as basal dressing and 40kg N/ha applied in 2 split dozes as top dressing gave better yield. While the rainfed crop is grown without irrigation, the irrigated crop requires 5-8 light irrigations during the entire growing season. The crop requires 2-3 weedings and hoeings in order to keep it free from weeds. Alternaria alternata causes leaf spot and dieback but the disease is not serious. In North India, the plant is attacked by the larvae of butterfly Catopsilia pyranthe which can be controlled by planting the crop in March-April instead of June-July. Under irrigated conditions, the first crop is obtained after 90 days of planting. The leaves are stripped by hand when they are fully green, thick and bluish-green in colour. The second crop is taken 4 weeks after the first harvest and the third 4-6 weeks after the second one. The last harvest of leaves is done when the entire crop is harvested along with the pods. Yield under irrigated conditions is nearly1.4t of leaves and 150kg pods/ha and under unirrigated conditions is 500-600kg leaves and 80-100kg pods/ha. The leaves are dried in thin layers under shade so as to retain the green colour and the pods are hung for 10-12 days to get dried. The leaves and pods are cleaned, graded and marketed (Husain et al, 1993).Properties and Activity: Leaves contain glucose, fructose, sucrose and pinnitol. Mucilage consists of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and galacturonic acid. Leaves also contain sennoside-C(8,8’- diglucoside of rhein-aloe-emodin-dianthrone). Pods contain sennosides A and B, glycoside of anthraquinones rhein and chrysophanic acid. Seeds contain -sitosterol (Husain et al, 1992). Leaves and pods also contain 0.33% -sterol and flavonols-kaempferol, kaempferin, and iso-rhamnetin. Sennoside content of C. acutifolia is higher ranging from 2.5% to 4.5% as compared to C. angustifolia ranging from 1.5 % to 2.5%.The purgative activity of Senna is attributed to its sennosides. The pods cause lesser griping than the leaves. Leaf and pod is laxative. The leaves are astringent, bitter, sweet, acrid, thermogenic, cathartic, depurative, liver tonic, anthelmintic, cholagogue, expectorant and febrifuge.... indian senna
Senna tea is made out of senna, which is an herb that contains compounds called anthraquinones, resulting in intestinal contractions. It is a purgative, similar to aloe and rhubarb and is mainly used in alleviating constipation. It can be found in Middle Eastern, African and Asian countries.
Description of Senna Tea
Sennas plants are mainly shrubs, its yellow flowers don’t produce nectar and its fruit is a legume. You can find sennas also as herbs or even small trees, used for ornamental purposes.
Benefits of Senna Tea
Little is known about the potential benefits of senna tea, but being a purgative herb it is used today as a laxative by making muscles to contract, thus stimulating bowel movements, helping in the reduction of constipation. It is sometimes used before undertaking colonoscopy-a procedure used in screening colon cancer. Besides senna tea is being used as a way of losing weight, although there are some potential risks involving the intake of senna, as we are about to find out.
Side effects and risks of Senna Tea
Senna tea has to be used no more than 2 weeks, because of its high risk of dysfunction of bowel, according to the national institute of Health (NIH). Other risks imply: muscle weakness, liver damage, or heart function disorders. A side effect of taking senna medication is abdominal cramps and even Malanosis coli, a brown discoloration of the colon wall. The consumption of senna tea over an extensive period of time can produce toxicity to the liver according to a 2005 report of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy. Because there is no significant medical research taken into sennas beneficial effects on the body it cannot be used in health purposes yet.
Preparation of Senna Tea
You can boil 100 grams of the tea leaves in distilled water with 5 grams of fresh sliced ginger. Cover it for almost 15 minutes, strain, and drink hot or cold. Careful though if you leave it long enough to steep it will become stronger and therefore it could lead to abdominal cramping.
Senna tea is a strong, dangerous medicine used in modern times mostly in colon issues. You shouldn’t try to use Senna tea as a cure for more than a week and do it preferably at the doctor’s advice.... senna tea
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