Senna (Cassia acutifolia)

Senna (Cassia acutifolia) grows freely on the banks of the Nile from Aswan to Kordofan, in the Saudi Arabian peninsula, India, and Somalia. It is also cultivated in Pakistan and Sudan. Our country widely uses its leaves as an effective laxative and commonly refers to it as "senna". Unfortunately, this species doesn't grow natively in Anatolia. On the bright side, our country cultivates Senna corymbosa, a member of the genus Senna, as an ornamental plant. The anthraquinone glycosides, particularly Sennosides A and B, are accountable for the laxative impact of senna. Senna is also utilized for treating expectorant, carminative, wound healing and skin disorders, dysentery, gonorrhoea, haemorrhoids, dyspepsia, and high fever.

The chemistry of Cassia can be defined by hydroxyanthracene derivatives. The primary components are sennosides A and B which have a widely recognized laxative impact and are thus supportive of the natural application of senna to alleviate constipation.

Additionally, the mixture comprises mucilages - arabinose, galactose, galactouronic acid, and rhamnose - as well as free sugars including fructose, glucose, and pinitol. Other constituents include isorhamnetin and kemferol flavonoids, as well as 6-hydroxyimusizin and tinnevellin glycosides.

It is advisable to avoid using non-standardised hydroxyanthracene-containing preparations due to their variable and unpredictable pharmacological effects. Most licensed senna products have standardised sennoside content, which is usually calculated as sennoside B.

Hydroxyanthracene-containing drugs are widely known for their cathartic effect and have been used as laxatives for many years. However, the precise mechanism of action of hydroxyanthracenes remains unclear. It is believed that hydroxyanthracene glycosides are absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract.