Senna

Senna is a plant from the papilionaceous genus and belongs to the Fabaceae family and is mainly found in the tropics and subtropics.

Senna has over 260 species, ranging from 60 cm to 2 m tall shrubs, bushes or small trees. However, only two species are used medicinally: the Alexandrian Senna (Senna alexandrina) and the Tinnevelley Senna (also known as Indian Senna, S. angustifolia). The two different senna plants: Cassia senna L. (syn. Cassia acutifolia Delile - Alexandriner or Khartoum senna) and Cassia angustifolia Vahl (Tinnevelly senna) differ only slightly in appearance and constituents, with hardly any differences even after molecular genetic analysis. Slightly yellow flowers and up to 5 cm long, brown, flat fruits.

Both the dried leaves(Sennae folium) and the dried pods of the fruits(Sennae fructus) are used phytotherapeutically.

1. Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapie Arzneidrogen Phytopharmaka Anwendung. Urban & Fischer: 5.105 Senna leaves, Alexandrine and Tinnevelly Senna fruits (Sennae folium/fructus acutifoliae/fructus angustifoliaeI p 193-194