Polygala senega. P. tenuifolia- used in Chinese Medicine   Senega, Snake root, Rattlesnake root   Family: Polygalaceae      
PART USED: Root and rootstock. Root stock 3-5 cm wide, bearing roots and a tap root betwen 4-18 cm long.
TASTE: Sweet then acrid  ODOR: Wintergreen-like. Faintly aromatic. Powder is sternutatory.
ACTIONS
1. Expectorant.[1,2]
2. Diaphoretic.[1,2]
3. Emetic.[1,2]
4. Sialagogue.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Chronic bronchitis.[1,2] Catarrh.[2] Asthma.[2] Croup- usually as infusion.[2] Bronchitic asthma.[1]
Local- Pharyngitis- as gargle.[1]
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: Chronic bronchitis, catarrh, asthma and croup.[1,2]
COMBINATIONS
- Asthma and bronchitis, use with Euphorbia and Grindelia.
PREPARATIONS:  3X /day
Powdered root  0.5-1 g,[1,2] usually taken as infusion.[1,2]
Liquid extract (BPC1968)  1:1 in 60% alcohol  0.3-1 ml.[1]
Tincture (BPC1968,BPC1973) 1:5 of liquid extract to 60% alcohol  2.5-5 ml.[1,2]
Concentrated Senega Infusion (BP)  2.5-5 ml.[1,2]

ORIGIN: USA. Cultivated in Western Canada and Japan.
DESCRIPTION: The root has a knotty crown, from which slender stems arise. Root; light yellowish grey, up to about 1 cm thick, often with a keel shaped ridge running along the main root on the concave side. Fractures short and brittle, showing a cleft central column.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Adjuvant activities of saponins from the root of Polygala senega L.
Katselis GS, Estrada A, Gorecki DK, Barl B.
Abstract
Eight pure triterpenoid saponin compounds isolated from the root of Polygala senega L., a plant indigenous to the Canadian prairies, were evaluated for their immunological activity in mouse models. The specific antibody responses of the IgG2a subclass increased significantly when isolated P. senega saponins were used as adjuvants in the immunization of mice with OVA antigen. In addition, increased IL-2 levels were observed in spleen cell cultures from P. senega saponin-immunized mice after in vitro secondary antigen stimulation. The saponins were tested for their toxicity in mice by using a haemolytic activity assay and found to be less toxic than Quillaja saponaria saponins that have long been used as adjuvants in vaccine formulations. This study has shown the potential of P. senega saponins to be considered as a natural source of vaccine adjuvants with biological activity equivalent to the current commercially available saponin adjuvants.
PMID: 18066120 DOI: 10.1139/Y07-109  Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2007 Nov;85(11):1184-94. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of Polygala senega in normal and diabetic mice and its main component, the triterpenoid glycoside senegin-II.
Kako M, Miura T, Nishiyama Y, Ichimaru M, Moriyasu M, Kato A.
Abstract
The hypoglycemic effect of the rhizomes of Polygala senega L. var. latifolia Torrey et Gray (Polygalaceae) was investigated in normal and KK-Ay mice, one of the model animals of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The n-butanol extract of senega rhizomes (SN) (5 mg/kg) reduced the blood glucose of normal mice from 191 +/- 3 to 120 +/- 3 mg/dl 4 hours after intraperitoneal administration (P < 0.001), and also showed a significant decrease in the glucose level of KK-Ay mice from 469 +/- 38 to 244 +/- 14 mg/dl under similar conditions (P < 0.001). But streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice did not experience a change in the blood glucose after administration of SN. We propose that the hypoglycemic effect of SN occurs without altering the insulin concentration. Moreover, SN needs the presence of insulin in order to act. In addition, one of the active components of the hypoglycemic effect was identified as a triterpenoid glycoside, senegin-II.
PMID: 8923811 DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957935  Planta Med. 1996 Oct;62(5):440-3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anti-angiogenic effect of triterpenoidal saponins from Polygala senega.
Arai M, Hayashi A, Sobou M, Ishida S, Kawachi T, Kotoku N, Kobayashi M.
Abstract
Senegasaponins [senegin II (1), senegin III (2), senegin IV (3), senegasaponin a (4), and senegasaponin b (5)] from Polygala senega were re-discovered as selective anti-proliferative substances against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Senegasaponins (1-5) showed anti-proliferative activity against HUVECs with IC(50) values in the range 0.6-6.2 µM, and the selective index was 7-100-fold in comparison with those for several cancer cell lines, while the desacyl mixture of senegasaponins (6) and tenuifolin (7) lost anti-proliferative activity, indicating that the 28-O-glycoside moiety and methoxycinnamoyl group were essential for the HUVEC-selective growth inhibition of senegasaponins. Senegin III (2) inhibited the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced in vitro tubular formation of HUVECs and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced in vivo neovascularization in the mouse Matrigel plug assay. Moreover, senegin III (2) suppressed tumor growth in the ddY mice s.c.-inoculated murine sarcoma S180 cells. The analysis of the action mechanism of senegin III (2) suggested that the induction of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) would contribute to the anti-angiogenic effects of senegasaponins.
PMID: 21042868 DOI: 10.1007/s11418-010-0477-7  J Nat Med. 2011 Jan;65(1):149-56. doi: 10.1007/s11418-010-0477-7. Epub 2010 Nov 2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov