CASSIA 



ANOUSTIFOLIA 



THE TINNEVELLY SENNA 



Ringworm. 

 Foetid Cassia. 



Bingwonn. 



Adjunct to 

 Indigo. 



Ind., 1598 (ed. Hakl. Soc.), ii., 121-2 ; Prosper Alpinus, De PL JEgypli, 1592, 3 ; 

 Pyrard, Voy.E.Ind., 1601 (ed. Hakl. Soc.), ii., 361; Jacobus Bontius, Hist. Nat. 

 et Med. Ind. Or., 1629, in Piso, Ind. Ulri. re Nat. et Med., 1658, 101-2 ; Ligon, 

 Hist. Barbados, 1657, 68 ; Tavernier, Travels, 1676 (ed. Ball), i., 174, n. ; ii., 20 ; 

 E.I.C. First Letter Book, 200, 480 ; Buchanan-Hamilton, Stat. Ace. Dinaj., 158.] 

 Jamaica Senna. C. Obovata, Collad, ; sometimes called Country Senna, Jamaica Senna, Italian 



Senna. This is the bhui-tarwar, a plant common in many parts of India and 

 occasionally to be seen in the bazars as an inferior quality of Senna. [Cf. Greenish, 

 Pharm. Journ., 4th ser., ix., 470-1.] 



Negro Coffee. C. occidentalis, Linn. ; the Negro Coffee or kdsondi, Tcdsundd, hikal, 



kdlkashundd, etc. An under-shrub abundant on waste land and roadsides 



throughout India, though probably originally introduced from America. The 



Medicine. leaves, roots and seeds are medicinal. The seeds dried, then ground to powder, 



Coffee are used as a good substitute for coffee, and since they are antibilious are said to 



Substitute. be often beneficial. [Cf. Kew Bull., 1881, 34-5 ; Yearbook of Pharmacy, 1887, 



175-6 ; Pharmaceut. Journ., 1900, Ixv., 439 ; Ridley, Mai. PI. Names, 116 ; Rev. 



des Cult. Colon., 1902, x., 63.] 



C. Sophera, Linn. : the kdli-kasonda, jangli-takla, kdl-kasondd, banar (the 

 kdsamarda or cough-destroyer) a closely allied and often much confused plant 

 with C. occideiitali*. It is cosmopolitan in the tropics and common throughout 

 India. The bark, leaves and seeds are cathartic and the juice of the leaves 

 viewed as a specific for ringworm. [Cf. Prosper Alpinus, I.e. 35.] 



C. Tora, Una. ; the Foetid Cassia or chakundd, panevdr, panwdr, tarotd, 

 Tcovaria, kowaria, a gregarious annual under-shrub found everywhere in Bengal 

 and throughout tropical India. This is in Sanskrit called chakramarda (= ring- 

 worm-destroyer), once more confirming the all but universal reputation of the 

 species of Sennas. But in this particular plant a more or less new property has 

 been attributed to the seeds, in that they are largely used along with indigo. 

 For this purpose they are regularly sold to the dyers. They are also roasted, 

 ground to a powder, and used in place of coffee. Mr. William Elborne of Owens 

 College chemically investigated these seeds and came to the conclusion that their 

 activity was due to " emodin, a substance closely allied to chrysophanic acid, in 

 chemical characteristics, and considering the purpose for which the Natives 

 of India use the plant, evidently in medicinal properties." Adams (Comment. 

 in Paulus JEgineta, iii., 466) identifies this plant with the kelkel of the Arabs 

 a drug mentioned by Avicenna, Serapion, Pvhases, etc. etc. 



C. angustifolia, Vahl. ; the Tinnevelly Senna of Indian commerce, 

 perhaps best known by the following names : sanna-mukki, send-makhi, 

 Hindi-sanna, nilavirai, etc. 



Adams (Comment, in Paulus JEgineta, iii., 431-3) gives a most interesting 

 sketch of the early knowledge in Senna. He says Serapion was undoubtedly 

 the first author who describes the drug as an article of the Materia 

 Medica. He, however, quotes still other writers, such as Isaac Ebn Amram 

 and Abix. All the Arab physicians, in fact, extol the merits of senna in 

 purging black or yellow bile and in acting as a cordial when mixed with 

 suitable drugs, such as violets. The present species, as also the Alexandrian 

 (C. acutffolia, Delile), were introduced to both Indian and European 

 phaririicy through the Arabs. The former species (the only one grown in 

 India) is fairly extensively produced in Tinnevelly, and recently its cultiva- 

 tion has been extended to Madura and Trichinopoly, districts of South India, 

 Cultivation. and to Poona in Bombay. It is sown on red or black clay loams, fairly 

 liberally ploughed and manured, the sowing being in May. Weeding has 

 to be attended to, but irrigation is hardly if ever necessary. The season 

 for collecting the leaves is June to December. The yield is said to be 

 1,000 Ib. (2 candies) an acre, which allows a handsome margin for profit. 



Indian senna is either exported coastwise to Bombay and thence to 

 foreign countries, or is consigned direct from Tuticorn. The drug is also 

 imported by India from Arabia, where it is collected from the wild plant and 



288 



D.E.P., 

 ii., 212-5. 

 Tinnevelly 

 Senna. 



