Senna

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

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Last updated on: 18.10.2021

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Synonym(s)

cassia angustafolia; cassia senna

Definition
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Senna is a plant from the genus of the papilionaceous plants and belongs to the family Fabaceae and is mainly distributed in the tropics and subtropics.

Senna has more than 260 species, which grow as shrubs, bushes or small trees up to 2m high. However, only two species are used medicinally: the Alexandrian senna (Senna alexandrina) and the Tinnevelley senna (also Indian senna, S. angustifolia). Two to four cm long, flat and brown legumes develop as fruits.

Phytotherapeutically, both the dried leaves (Senna folium), as well as the dried pods of the fruits (Sennae fructus) are used.

Senna angustifolia (also Cassia angustifolia Vahl) is the parent plant of Senna folium, the senna leaves.

Outgoing links (1)

Sennae folium;