Indian AlexandrianDried leaflets of

• Cassia angustifolia • Leguminosae

• Known as Tinnevelly Senna

• Indigenous to S.Arabia , cultivated in S.India

(Tinnevelly)

• Cassia acutifolia• Leguminosae

• Formerly exported from Alexandria but now from Port Sudan

• Cultivated in Nile territories

• Collected from wild sources

Indian – Cultivation • Requires irrigated land • Red loamy ,coarse gravel soil. Also grows in

alluvial loamy soil• Before sowing land ploughed twice , leveled• 1st sowing done in Feb – Mar • 2nd sowing in Oct – Nov by broadcasting

method• Seeds triturated with sand for early

germination• Allowed to grow for 5months till the growth of

flower stalks occur which were cut down to initiate branching

• N – fertilizers were supplied

Indian

• Harvesting done in 3 stages after 2 – 3 months of sowing 1st leaflets thick , full grown , greenish 2nd after 1month 3rd after 4wks

• Collected by women & dried • Packed in large bales using hydraulic pressure • Uprooted after 3rd collection

• The one cultivated after rice crop on the same land in the same season gives best yields

• If grown on dry land without irrigation poor yields

Alexandrian• Branches collected when fruits are fully formed but still

unripe • Rapidly dried in Sun & sold by Govt.auction• Graded into 1.Whole leaves

2.Whole & broken leaves 3.Siftings & pods

• Pods & large stalks are 1st sifted , pods separated by hand• That passing through the sieve is tossed in shallow trays

1.Leaves & fragments – surface 2.Heavier Stalks , sand – bottom3.Leaves separated from fragments & graded

by means of sieves , partly by hand picking – form siftings &mixed leaves

• Whole leaves are picked by hand if required • Packed in mats / bales without pressing• Whole leaves sold to public• Other grades used for galanical preparations

Description

• Indian• Yellowish color• Larger than Alexandrian• Less asymmetrical at

base• Less broken, flat• Shows impressions mid

vein of other leaves as it is in compressed bales

• Alexandrian • Greyish green color

• More asymmetric , unequal at base

• More broken , curled at edges• Few pressed markings• Small whitish hairs especially

near veins

Uniformly lanceolate shape , Characteristc odor Mucilaginous , bitter , unpleasant taste,Entire margin , Acute apex

Microscopy (isobilateral leaf)

• Epidermis polygonal , tubular, cells contain mucilage Scattered non lignified warty

trichomes , curved near base

Paracytic stomata• Mesophyll

palisade on both the surfaces Single layered . Upper cells longer than lower

Spongy parenchyma contain calcium oxalate

Midrib• Biconvex • Flat dorsal surface & convex ventral surface • Epidermis present on both the surfaces • Palisade continuous over midrib on upper side • Lower palisade replaced by collenchyma• V.B Collateral & occupy central part of midrib

Covered on both sides by sclerenchyma fibers

• Xylem towards upper side , phloem lower side • Sclerenchyma fibers covered by a layer of

parenchyma which contain calcium oxalate

Constituents

• 1st isolated aloe emodin & rhein• Sennosides A & B• Also contain yellow flavonol coloring matter

Kaempferol & its glucoside Kaempferin • Isorhamnetin , myricyl alcohol , sterol• Mucilage , calcium oxalate , resin • Water soluble lignan & polysaccharide • Sennoside A upon hydrolysis gives

Sennidin A (dextro form ) + 2 glucose

• Sennoside B upon hydrolysis gives

Sennidin B (meso form ) + 2 glucose

Sennoside R1 R2 10-10’

A COOH COOH TransB COOH COOH MesoC CH 2OH COOH TransD CH 2OH COOH Meso

R2

OHO

C 6 H 11O5 O

O OH

R1

C 6H 11O 5 O

10

10’

Structure

USES • Purgative

Both varieties are differentiated by

Alexandrian Indian

• Vein islet number 25-30 20-23 • Stomatal index 11.4-12.2-13 17.1-18.7-20

• Palisade ratio(U) 4.5-9.5-18 4-7.5-12

(L) 3.5-7-14.5 2.5-5.1-10.5

• Borntrager’s test