Senna alexandrina. Cassia angustifolia, C. acutifolia, C. senna  番 泻 叶 Fān xiè yè   Senna leaf    Family: Leguminosae    Cassia angustifolia: round leaved- Tinnevelly senna, Indian senna.
Cassia acutifolia: pointed leaved- Alexandrian senna, Khartoum senna.
The Arabic word ‘senna’ and the Hebrew word ‘Cassia’ meaning “peeled back” (with reference to its peelable bark) together gave this plant its name. It has been used in ayurvedic and unani medicines since the ninth century.
 See also, Seeds of Senna 
PART USED: Leaf- harvested before the lowers bloom- C. angustifolia, or in Autumn when the fruit has ripened- C. acutifolia.
Nature: Cold, very cold       FLAVOR: Sweet, bitter.   CHANNEL: Large Intestine
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Descending- Cooling purgatives
1. Drains downward and guides out stagnation.[1,3] Purgative (acts in about 2-3 hours). Speeds up peristalsis of the intestines- usually open bowels several times.[2]
INDICATIONS
1. Constipation due to Heat in the Intestines.[1,2,3]
2. Accumulation of food.[1,2] Abdominal fullness.[1,2] Accumulation of water in abdomen (ascites).[1,2] Overeating and indigestion.[1]
NOTE: Fan xie ye must be combined with Qi regulating and Wind dispersing herbs, such as Huo xiang and Xiang fu to prevent side effects of stomach pain and vomiting.[2] In Southern China, this herb is takne as a tea to prevent Summer Heat disorders.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pregnancy, menstruation, and after childbirth during lactation.[3] Intestinal infections- as they will get worse. Old and weak patients suffering from chronic contipation.[3] Hemorrhoids.[2]
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Small Dry leaves. Decoction 1-4 g, when steeped as tea.[1, 2,3] For laxative 3-9 g.[2,3] Do not cook for more than 15 minutes.[3] Overdose may result in abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.[3] Good quality has narrow green leaves.

         
ORIGIN: Tropical Africa and culivated in Egypt and the Sudan.
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.
The glycosides are absorbed from the intestinal tract and the active anthraquinones excreted into the colon wher they exert their stimulant effect.

Report on cassia senna and cassia angustifolia leaves
London, 27 April 2007
Doc. Ref. EMEA/HMPC/51868/2006 Corr.  

Senna alexandrina extract supplementation reverses hepatic oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic effects of cadmium chloride administration in rats
Xianbin Wang, Ting Wang, Tingting Pan, Mei Huang, Weihua Ren, Geliang Xu, Hatem K Amin, Rami B Kassab, Ahmed E Abdel Moneim
Abstract
Senna alexandrina is traditionally used for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but little information is available concerning its potential protective effects against cadmium, which is a widespread environmental toxicant that causes hepatotoxicity. Here, we explored the effects of S. alexandrina extract (SAE) on cadmium chloride (CdCl2)-induced liver toxicity over 4 weeks in rats. Rats were allocated into four groups: control, SAE (100 mg/kg), CdCl2 (0.6 mg/kg), and SAE + CdCl2, respectively. Cadmium level in hepatic tissue, blood transaminases, and total bilirubin as indicators of liver function were assessed. Oxidative stress indices [malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrate/nitrite (NO), and glutathione (GSH)], antioxidant molecules [superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT), glutathione-derived enzymes, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)], pro-inflammatory mediators [interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a)], apoptosis proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3), and histological alterations to the liver were examined. SAE administration before CdCl2 exposure decreased cadmium deposition in liver tissue and the blood liver function indicators. SAE pre-treatment prevented oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic reactions and decreased histological alterations to the liver caused by CdCl2 exposure. SAE can be used as a promising protective agent against CdCl2-induced hepatotoxicity by increasing Nrf2 expression. Graphical abstract.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020 Feb;27(6):5981-5992. Epub 2019 Dec 20. PMID: 31863371 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07117-3 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is senna laxative use associated to cathartic colon, genotoxicity, or carcinogenicity?
M A Morales, D Hernández, S Bustamante, I Bachiller, A Rojas
Abstract
Due to their natural origin, apparent low oral toxicity, effectiveness, and accessibility without a medical prescription, the anthranoid laxatives are a popular remedy for constipation and are frequently used abusively. Therefore, it is important to characterize its harmful and/or toxic effects. The sennosides, main active metabolites of senna, exhibit a very low toxicity in rats, and its genotoxic activity in bacterial strains as well as mammal cells was classified as weak in those cases where it was shown to be significant. The toxicological and mutagenic status of the crude extract of senna, however, is not as well characterized, and it is necessary to do so since it is frequently, and at the same time incorrectly, believed that the chronic use of anthranoid laxatives is a risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer. The objective of this article was to review the information that arises in various scientific medical databases using key words such as senna, sen, Senna alexandrina, Cassia angustifolia, sennosides, laxative toxicity, mainly ISI and non-ISI articles of journals with an editorial committee. Web pages of products or companies that publicize or commercialize this type of laxative were not included. This analysis establishes that (1) there is no convincing evidence that the chronic use of senna has, as a consequence, a structural and/or functional alteration of the enteric nerves or the smooth intestinal muscle, (2) there is no relation between long-term administration of a senna extract and the appearance of gastrointestinal tumors or any other type in rats, (3) senna is not carcinogenic in rats even after a two-year daily dose of up to 300 mg/kg/day, and (4) the current evidence does not show that there is a genotoxic risk for patients who take laxatives containing senna extracts or sennosides.
J Toxicol 2009;2009:287247. Epub 2009 Sep 10. PMID: 20107583 PMCID: PMC2809429 DOI: 10.1155/2009/287247 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov