130 
CA.SSIA SENNA. 
Senna is not the actual produce of the Indian dominions, " but 
a product of Arabia, either of Arabia Felix, (about Mocho), or 
from a more northern part of that country, the territory of Abuarish. 
It is, in fact, the sharp-pointed-leaved Senna, the cassia lanceolata of 
Forskal, which he distinguishes, foliis 5-jugis, lanceolatis, aequa^ 
libus, and tells us that it is common at Surdnd, and near Mor." * 
From an examination of various samples of Senna, we are led to 
believe that the Senna of commerce is chiefly the produce of two 
species, viz. the Cassia Obovata, and tlie Cassia Lanceolata: these 
species are both natives of Egypt, and the neighbouring countries. It 
is said, that at Cairo, the traders mix these two sorts in various pro- 
portions, and also adulterate the mixture with a certain quantity of 
the leaves of argel ; and it appears that the European traders adul- 
terate it €^ second time, by the admixture of the leaves of a species 
of the Collutea, (bladder Senna). 
Sensible and Chemical Properties. The Egyptian Senna 
has a faint, and somewhat sickly smell, taste bitter, slightly aromatic, 
and rather nauseous ; the infusion is of a deep reddish brown 
colour, and is not changed by the sulphate of iron : by boiling, 
it becomes thick and mucilaginous, the extractive principle absorb- 
ing oxygen from the air ; the extract, of which Senna yields about one- 
third its weight, is black and glutinous. The alcoholic tincture is of 
a deep green, and is rendered milky by adding water. The leaves 
of Senna have been analyzed by MM. Lassaigne and Fenuelle ; 
and in addition to mucilage, extractive, resin, saline matter, chloro-: 
phylle, greasy oil, volatile oil, albumen, and bitter principle, they 
discovered a peculiar salifiable ntatter, of a very cathartic property ; 
this they consider the purgative principle of Senna, and have given 
it the name of Cathartin.f Catliartin is of a reddish yellow colour, 
uncrystallizable, deliquescent, of a peculiar smell, and nauseous 
bitter taste ; soluble in both water and alcohol in all proportions, 
but insoluble in ether. 
Medical Properties and Uses. The Cathartic properties 
of Senna being very considerable, it may be considered one 6f our 
most useful purgatives ; when given in proper doses it generally 
produces the desired effect, without creating that disturbance of the 
bowels which many of our stronger cathartics frequently do : the 
* Materia Indica, vol. ii. p. 249. 
+ For the preparation of Cathartin, we mast refer onr reader to M. Lassaigne's own 
account, in the Aunales de Cbimie, xvi. p. 20. Ed. 
