Senna
Cassia Acutifolia
 Included
in most pharmacopoeias, Senna was first used by Arabian physicians
in the ninth century. Senna is also known by the names Alexandrian
Senna and Rajavriksha.
Cassia senna is native to tropical Africa, and is
cultivated in Egypt and the Sudan;
Cassia angustifolia
is native to India, and is cultivated mainly in India and Pakistan.
The parts of this plant used medicinally are the leaves and the pods.
The leaves have a purging quality, but afterwards have a binding
effect Both the leaves and pods are used in many over-the-counter
pharmaceutical preparations.
It is a
purgative, similar to
aloe and
rhubarb in having as active
ingredients
anthraquinone derivatives and
their
glucosides. It's action is
on the lower
bowel, and is especially
useful in alleviating
constipation. It increases the
peristaltic movements of the
colon.
The pods are milder in their effects than the seeds as they contain less
of the
resin responsible for griping.
Senna encourages bowel movement by inhibiting the smooth muscles that
retain stool and stimulating the smooth muscles that push stool through
the intestine. The herb doesn’t work unless the sennosides in the
herb are transformed into rheinanthrones by beneficial bacteria in the
colon.
Senna is cathartic and should be used in combination with other
cathartic herbs of its kind to work best for bowel elimination. It
should be used by itself only in cases of acute constipation. Senna
has an anthraquinone that stimulates the nerves of the bowel wall
encouraging parastolic action. The primary chemical constituents of
Senna include anthraquinone glycosides
(sennosides, aloe-emodin, rhein),
betasitosterol, flavones, tartaric acid, mucin, essential oil, mucilage,
tannin, and resin. The sennosides are irritating to the large
intestine lining, causing peristaltic action and bowel evacuation. It
also helps to temporarily prevent fluid from being absorbed from the
large intestine, thus contributing to softer stools. It is also
effective as a vermifuge.
Used for: biliousness, bad breath, colic, constipation, gallstones, gout,
jaundice, menstruation, mouth sores, obesity, boils, pimples, rheumatism,
skin diseases and worms.
Can be used as a tea but should be served cold and combined with ginger,
anise or fennel to avoid griping. Suggested amount would be 2 oz 3
times a day.
Contraindications:
This product is not recommended if you are pregnant,
menstruating, or lactating. This product should not be given to
children under 12 years of age. People with Crohn's disease, ulcerative
colitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstructions, and abdominal pain
should not supplement with Senna.
Sources:
Little Herb Encyclopedia, by Jack Ritchason; N.D., Woodland Publishing Incorporated, 1995
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 1987
The Ultimate Healing System, Course Manual, Copyright 1985, Don Lepore
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody, Published by Dorling Kindersley
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