italica Mill Mill., Leguminosae (Fabacea) Gard. Dict., Ed. 8, no.2 (1968). Cassia obovata Collad, Cassia italica Mill.

Names Arabic: Sana mekki , Sala mekky , Ischrik English: Senna French: Senne

Compiled by: Prof. F. M. Hammouda, Prof. S. I. Ismail, Dr. N. S. Abdel-Azim and Dr. K. A. Shams Status Edited by: Prof. K. H. Batanouny The is fairly common in its habitats. However, the disturbance of its habitat in addition to the collec- Morphological Description tion of the herb have a great effect on the plant. A perennial herbaceous plant about 60 cm high, with an erect or procumbent, smooth stem, downy Part(s) Used at the base. are alternate, equally pinnate, Leaves, pods and . smooth, with no gland upon the petiole; leaflets in 4 to 6 pairs, opposite, obovate, rounded, mucronate Collection at the apex, unequal at the base, the uppermost The leaves are gathered by cutting the branches in gradually the largest; stipules narrowly triangular, autumn, commencing in September, exposing them rigid, acute, spreading, and persistent. The flowers to the sun until they dry. are pale-yellow, on erect, rather lax, axillary, stalked . The are oblong, falcate, membra- Preparation nous, smooth, rounded at each end, with an Infusion, decoction, dried leaflets, dried pods, cold elevated ridge upon the valves over each side, so as macerate, fluid extract. to have an equally interrupted ridge along the middle, towards which the veins of each are Use directed nearly at right angles; 6 to 8 cordate seeds. Oral. Flowers over summer until the autumn. Constituents Geographical Distribution The leaves and pods contain anthrone glycosides Local: All over the deserts of the country, especially which by drying (20-50CO) are transformed into the Eastern desert, region, Sinai and Gebel sennosides and they contain 6-hydroxymusizin Elba. glycoside, while seeds contain pipecolic acid. Ten Regional: , Libya and Algeria. flavonoids were isolated from the aerial parts Global: North Africa, from Cape Verde Is. to Egypt, including a new compound identified as tamarixetin extending south to Nigeria, and , (3-rutinoside-7rhamnoside). Moreover, b-sitosterol, also in Arabia to S. Iran and Pakistan. stigmasterol, alpha-amyrin, 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methyl anthraquinone and a new anthraquinone were Ecology isolated. The plant grows in habitats sometimes similar to that of . This species grows in the Pharmacological Action and wild in dry sandy habitats in different African coun- Toxicity tries. Plant powder is taken orally for elephantiasis. The

A Guide to Medicinal in North Africa 253 leaflets and pods are well known for their purgative References effect. Crushed seeds are used for ophthalmic Galal, M.; Adam, S.E.I.; Maglad, M.A. and Wasfi, diseases. It is reported that Cassia italica is CNS I.A, (1985). "The Effects of Cassia italica on depressant, manifested as anticonstipation and Goats and Sheep". Acta-Veterinaria-Yugoslavia, sedation, and has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, 35,(3):163-174. analgesic, antineoplastic and antiviral activity. General References Pharmacopoeia Batanouny, K. H., (1999). "Wild in Not available Egypt " (With contribution of: E. Aboutabl, M. Shabana & F. Soliman). With support of the Pharmaceutical products Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC). Not available Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt. The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Traditional Medicine and Switzerland. pp. 120-122. Indigenous Knowledge Boulos, L. (2002). "Flora of Egypt", volume two, History: Senna italica is a plant of Arabian pp.359, printed by Al Hadara Publishing, , origin. The plant is widely acknowledged in Egypt. Bahrain as medicinal; as an infusion, its pods and Boulos, L. (1983). "Medicinal Plants of North leaves are used as a purgative. Senna is appar- Africa", Reference Publications, Inc., Michigan, ently not used as a medicine today in the nearby U.S.A. Eastern Province of Saudia Arabia, where some Brenan, J.P.M. (1967). "Caesalp. In Flora Trop. East Bedouins regard it as toxic to livestock. However, Africa". Milne-Redhead & Polhill. the seeds are eaten by Bedouins in Central Saudi Lock, J.M. & Simpson,K. (1991). "Legumes of West Arabia, who say they are good for the stomach ": A Checklist. RBG, Kew. and as a purgative. A decoction of the crushed Rizk A. M. & El-Ghazaly G. A. (1995). "Medicinal seeds is used as a in the United Arab and Poisonous Plants of Qatar". Emirates. In his day, Avicenna prescribed senna as Rizk, A. M. (1986). "The of the a purgative for expelling black bile. In recent Flora of Qater", Richmond, U.K. times, the leaves have been exported from Egypt Tackholm, Vivi. (1974) "Student’s Flora of Egypt". to , where they are used as the drug “dog 2nd edition, Cairo University, Egypt. senna”.

Traditional Medicinal Uses Constipation: a stimulant laxative, useful for either habitual constipation or occasional use.

254 A Guide to Medicinal Plants in North Africa