3.senna

Indian

Alexandrian Dried leaflets of

• Cassia angustifolia • Leguminosae

• Cassia acutifolia • Leguminosae

• Known as Tinnevelly Senna

• Formerly exported from Alexandria but now from Port Sudan

• Indigenous to S.Arabia , cultivated in S.India (Tinnevelly)

• Cultivated in Nile territories • Collected from wild sources

Indian – Cultivation • Requires irrigated land • Red loamy ,coarse gravel soil. Also grows in alluvial loamy soil • Before sowing land ploughed twice , leveled • 1st sowing done in Feb – Mar • 2nd sowing in Oct – Nov by broadcasting method • Seeds triturated with sand for early germination • Allowed to grow for 5months till the growth of flower stalks occur which were cut down to initiate branching • N – fertilizers were supplied

Indian • Harvesting done in 3 stages after 2 – 3 months of sowing 1st leaflets thick , full grown , greenish 2nd after 1month 3rd after 4wks • Collected by women & dried • Packed in large bales using hydraulic pressure • Uprooted after 3rd collection • The one cultivated after rice crop on the same land in the same season gives best yields • If grown on dry land without irrigation poor yields

Alexandrian • Branches collected when fruits are fully formed but still unripe • Rapidly dried in Sun & sold by Govt.auction • Graded into 1.Whole leaves 2.Whole & broken leaves 3.Siftings & pods • Pods & large stalks are 1st sifted , pods separated by hand • That passing through the sieve is tossed in shallow trays 1.Leaves & fragments – surface 2.Heavier Stalks , sand – bottom 3.Leaves separated from fragments & graded by means of sieves , partly by hand picking – form siftings &mixed leaves • Whole leaves are picked by hand if required • Packed in mats / bales without pressing • Whole leaves sold to public • Other grades used for galanical preparations

Description Uniformly lanceolate shape , Characteristc odor Mucilaginous , bitter , unpleasant taste, Entire margin , Acute apex • • • •

Indian Yellowish color Larger than Alexandrian Less asymmetrical at base • Less broken, flat • Shows impressions mid vein of other leaves as it is in compressed bales

• Alexandrian • Greyish green color • More asymmetric , unequal at base • More broken , curled at edges • Few pressed markings • Small whitish hairs especially near veins

Microscopy (isobilateral leaf) • Epidermis

base

polygonal , tubular, cells contain mucilage Scattered non lignified warty trichomes , curved near Paracytic stomata

• Mesophyll palisade on both the surfaces Single layered . Upper cells longer than lower Spongy parenchyma contain calcium

Midrib • • • • • •

Biconvex Flat dorsal surface & convex ventral surface Epidermis present on both the surfaces Palisade continuous over midrib on upper side Lower palisade replaced by collenchyma V.B Collateral & occupy central part of midrib Covered on both sides by sclerenchyma fibers • Xylem towards upper side , phloem lower side • Sclerenchyma fibers covered by a layer of parenchyma which contain calcium oxalate

Constituents • 1st isolated aloe emodin & rhein • Sennosides A & B • Also contain yellow flavonol coloring matter Kaempferol & its glucoside Kaempferin • Isorhamnetin , myricyl alcohol , sterol • Mucilage , calcium oxalate , resin • Water soluble lignan & polysaccharide • Sennoside A upon hydrolysis gives Sennidin A (dextro form ) + 2 glucose • Sennoside B upon hydrolysis gives Sennidin B (meso form ) + 2 glucose

Structure C 6H 11O 5 O

O

OH R1

10

R2

10’

C 6 H 11O5 O

O

OH

Sennoside

A B C D

R1

COOH COOH CH 2OH CH 2OH

R2

10-10’

COOH COOH COOH COOH

Trans Meso Trans Meso

USES • Purgative Both varieties are differentiated by Alexandrian Indian • Vein islet number 25-30 20-23 • Stomatal index 11.4-12.2-13 17.1-18.7-20 • Palisade ratio(U) 4.5-9.5-18 4-7.5-12 (L)

• Borntrager’s test

3.5-7-14.5

2.5-5.1-10.5