FOREVER SENNA

Cassia Angustifolia

Senna is an Arabian name and the drug was first used by Arabic physicians. It is the strongest bowel booster. It also possesses anti bacterial properties.The plant is  also cultivated in dry lands of southern  and western India .

Morphology:

It is small perennial shrub below 1.2m height with ascending branches. The leaves are feathery large compound and have pairs of lance like leaflets. Flowers are yellow and the pods are straight.

Rasapanchaka (Ayurvedic Pharmacodynamics)

Useful Parts : Pods, stems and leaves

Chemical composition:

Leaves of senna contain flavenol and anthraquinone group compounds. In the flavenol group there is present isorhamnetin and kaempfeol. And in the second group it contains rhein and emodin ,it also contains two types of glucosides known as sennoside A and B. Besides these it contains menitol, sodium potassium tartarte, salisilic acid, crisophenic acid, volatile oils, resins and calcium oxalate. In the flowers there is a special type of acid  present known as crisofenic acid.

Medicinal Properties:

Senna is powerful cathartic. It has stimulant, irritating laxative, cooling and anti-bacterial, expectorant, wound dresser, antidysentric, carminative  properties. It is also anthchiintic, antipyretic, vermifuge, diuretic by nature.

Medicinal Uses :

• Senna is used in treating  constipation, by stimulating intestinal peristalsis.

• It is useful in  painful hemorrhoids, as it ensures soft and easy bowel movements.

•  Paste of Senna leaves is  applied to various skin diseases like acne, eczema etc

• It is used as an  anthelmentic since it  expels intestinal worms effectively.

• It is also used in hypertension and obesity.

• It is useful in loss of appetite, dysentry, hepatomegaly, spleenomegaly, indigestion, malaria, jaundice, biliousness, gout, rheumatism and anaemia.

Dose  : 0.5-2 g of the drug in powder form.

Important Formulations : Panchasakara churna, Yashtayadi churna

Contraindication:

• Pregnant, nursing or menstruating women should not use Senna. It is not suitable for children under twelve years of age.

• Frequent use of Senna should be avoided, it develops dependency. Also, some studies indicate that prolonged use of senna can cause toxicity and increase the risk of colon cancer.

• Senna has spasmodic property, and should never be used by people suffering from serious digestive disorders.

• Senna is contraindicated in inflammatory condition of alimentary canal, hemorrhoids, fever, piles and in case of excessive blood loss during menstruation, intestinal ulcers, undiagnosed stomach pain or appendicitis symptoms.

• Senna can cause cramping, nausea and diarrhea and the urine may take on reddish hue (which is harmless). Because  of this action senna is usually used along with carminative herbs, such as ginger and fennel.

• One should  not  use Senna  for chronic constipation .

Home remedies:

• Senna tea  is prepared by pouring hot (but not boiling) water over 1/2 to 2 grams (one-quarter teaspoon) of crushed senna herb, steep for about 10 minutes and strain. Senna tea can also be prepared by steeping crushed senna for 12 hours in cold water and then straining.

• When constipated, 50 milligrams of a standardized supplement once or twice a day, 1/8 to ½ teaspoon of a liquid leaf extract daily, or 3 to 6 pods steeped in a cup of warm water every 6 to 12 hours. Senna's seedpods possess more constipation-relieving power than its leaves, but leaf formulations are safer. To reduce the likelihood of intestinal pain when taking senna, mix it with ginger, cloves, or mint.

Summary:

The main active principle of Senna is  an anthraquinone (a cathartic) which  provides senosides A & B. The composition of this excellent medicinal plant is complex. Senna is a laxative that acts by stimulating intestinal motility and accelerate the nerve endings in the wall of the intestine. When using this medication, the intestinal content moves along the intestine much more quickly and constipation is alleviated. Senna begins acting from 6 to 8 hours after the first dose.

Depending on the dose, Senna has two effects:

• Laxative: it loosens bowel contents and encourages evacuation, without colic.
• Purge: It causes the evacuation of liquid diarrheic matter.

It is recommended that Senna  should only be used for a short time (usually not longer than one week, but can depend on the patient’s condition). Its use as a purgative in large doses should be monitored carefully looking into the contraindications of Senna.