SENNA

Cassia angustifolia Vahl

Description

Senna seems to have been used since the IX or X century and its introduction in medicine was from Arabian doctors, who used the leaves as well as the fruits. It might be original form Alexandria (Cassia acutifolia Delile) or from India (Cassia angustifolia M. Vahl.).

It is a sub-shrub of 40 to 60 cm with erect stems. Leaves are alternate and pinnate, with opposite folioles (4-5 pairs in C. acutifolia, 5-8 in C. angustifolia); the leaves from the Indian Senna (C. angustifolia) are elongated, smaller than 5 cm long, somewhat asymmetrical at the base and sharp at the apex, of a yellowish-green color. Those of Alexandria Senn (C. acutifolia) are shorter and wider, more asymmetrical at the base, usually mucronate and of a grayish-green color. Both species have pubescent leaves. Flowers are grouped in axillary racemes, with a 5-part calyx, a corolla with five shining yellow petals with brown sparkles, 10 free stamens, 3 of which are unproductive. Fruit is a flatten smooth sheath, dehiscent with two valves, holding inside 6-8 grains separated by the thickening of the pericarp parenchyma. It belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family.

Senna species is found in pre-desertic areas of Africa and Asia:
> Cassia angustifolia: It’s original from Southern India (Tinnevelly region) from where most of the commercial drug comes. The plant requires a warm weather (temperature should not be lower than 10ºC), but grow better in fresh soil than in natural habitats.
> Cassia acutifolia: It’s original from tropical Africa and is found as a wild plant, but in Sudan, it is cultivated. Alexandria exports it.

Part used

The leaves, folioles and sometimes the fruits. The effects produced by the fruits are milder than those from the folioles.

Indications

Internal use

Acute and chronic constipation.
To empty the intestine before a radiological exploration or colon surgery.
It is very useful to counterbalance constipation effects from opiate analgesics.
Anal fissures, hemorrhoids or recto-anal surgery which requires soft stools.

External use

Herpes simplex (compresses).

Bibliography

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