|
Cassia
Angustifolia
PLANT PART USED :
Pods and leaves.
DESCRIPTION :
A small shrub, about
1 m in height with pale subterete or obtusely angled erect or ascending
branches. Leaves usually 5-8 jugate, leaflets oval, lanceolate,
glabrous. Racemes axillary erect, waxy many-flowered, usually
considerably exceeding the subtending leaf. Bracts membranous, ovate or
obovate, caducous. Sepals obtuse, cuncate compressed, cotyledons plane.
The pods are 1.4 to 2.8 in long, about 0.8 in wide,greenish brown to
dark brown in colour and contain 5-7 obovate dark brown and nearly
smooth seeds.
PHYTOACTIVE :
Leaves contain
glycosides, sennoside A, sennoside B, sennoside C and sennoside D.Two
naphthalene glycosides have been isolated frofn leaves and pods(3).
Senna also contains the yellow flavonol colouring matter kaempferol, its
glucoside kaempferin and isorhamnetin.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE :
Maximum cathartic
action was seen in rats with 80 mg/kg in eight hours- due to direct
stimulant activity and water and electrolyte secretions. Senna extract
introduced into the lumen of the bowel through colostomy had no effect
on the motility, though the same extract introduced with faeces or a
culture of Escherichia coli stimulated peristalsis. Sublaxative doses of
standardised senna fruit showed spasmolytic activity. Effective dose of
piperazine for the treatment of threadworms and roundworms was
substantially reduced by the addition of extract of senna. Water extract
was found effective against Trichophyton purpurceum.Leaves and pods are
used traditionally as purgatives, Topical use of the leaves for
dermatosis is also not uncommon. Laxative effect of standardised senna
fruit granules was compared with liquid paraffin or a mixture of liquid
paraffin and magnesium hydroxide in fifty nursing mothers.Senna was more
effective than the control treatment in overcoming puerpural
constipation while the bowel habits of infants were not affected.
CONTRAINDICATION :
It is a safe
laxative. It may cause griping for which the drug is to be used with
ginger.
FORMULATION AND
DOSAGE :
Leaf powder : 3 gm
at bed time.
Pods : 10 - 20
soaked in water, macerated and the filtered water to be taken at bed
time.
Leaf paste : Topical
use.
Email:
| 