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Indian Senna Details & Specifications |
| Useful
Link |
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| Botanical Name |
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Cassia Acutifolia Dell. |
| English Name |
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Indian Senna |
| Hindi Name |
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Sena-ka-patta |
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| CATEGORY |
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Laxative |
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| SOURCE |
| Part used |
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State of the part used |
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Leaves |
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N/A |
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N/A |
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| FAMILY |
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Leguminosae |
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| GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE |
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The plant is indigenous to India and is found in following countries :-
Germany
India
Iran
Java
Nepal
Puerto Rico
Samoa
Spain
Turkey
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| IDENTIFICATION |
| Organoleptic characteristics |
| Colour |
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| Odour |
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Slight |
| Taste |
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Mucilaginous, bitter and characteristic |
| Size |
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7.0 to 8.0 mm in width and 25.0 to 60.0 mm in length |
| Physical
Standards |
| Total Ash |
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N/A |
| Moisture |
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Not more than 8 % |
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| CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS |
| Major |
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Major chemical constituents responsible for physicochemical and therapeutic action of the herb are :-
Anthraquinone - sennoside A and sennoside B
On hydrolysis - aglycones sennidin A and B
Aloe-emodin
Rhein
Sennoside C and D
Heteodianthrones
Palmidin A
Aloe-emodindianthrone-diglycoside
Rhein-anthrone-8-glycoside
Rhein-8-diglucoside
Aloe-emodin-8-glucoside
Aloe-emodin-anthrone-diglucoside
Rhein-1-glucose
6-Hydroxymusizin
/p>
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| Minor |
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The drug contains various minor chemical constituents however no specific contents have been identified yet. |
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| CULTIVATION |
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The plant is grown as a semi-irrigated or light-irrigated crop. Heavy irrigation, water logging and low temperature are avoided. After a few months of sowing, the harvesting of the leaves is done in three stages. The first plucking is done when the leaflets are thick, full-grown and greenish in colour. In the next month second plucking is done and the last plucking is carried out after 4-6 weeks. Generally the plants are uprooted after third plucking of leaves. It is observed that the content of sennosides in leaves is maximum when they are full grown and goes on decreasing with maturation of pods.
The plants are allowed to grow for about five months till the growth of flower stalks occurs. Further branching occurs due to the cutting given to flower stalks. Though it is a leguminous plant but the application of nitrogenous fertilizers is beneficial because of lack of root nodules.
Collected leaflets are dried under shade or indoors by spreading them in thin layers. Drying takes place within 7-10 days and leaves show yellowish-green colour. The leaves are tossed to separate pods. They are then packed into bales under hydraulic pressure.
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| STORAGE |
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To maintain physicochemical properties and medicinal values of the herb it is recommended to maintain following storage conditions :-
? Air tight containers
? Protection from light
? Protection from moisture
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