CASSIA SENNA— Oil EGYPTIAN CASSIA. 
Class X. DECANDRIA.— Order I. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order, LEGUMINOSJS. — THE PEA TRIBE. 
The plants which furnish the leaves known in commerce under the name of Senna, are low shrubs, growing 
spontaneously in Syria, Arabia, and Upper Egypt, whence the drug is imported into Europe chiefly from 
Alexandria ■ and hence it has obtained the name of Alexandrian Senna. It is cultivated m Italy, the \A est 
Indies and’some other parts of the world. According to Burckhardt, the best grows m the valleys of 
Nubia’ where it is called Abreygia ; flowering in July and August. In our stoves the plants remain shrubby, 
but in the gardens become annuals. .... , , , ~ . ,, , 
The genus Cassia, of which senna is a section, includes a very large assemblage of species ; the two 
which afford the officinal leaves are C. obovata, and lanceolata . The former is v the acknowledged officinal 
sDecies of the Italians, but the leaves of both are mingled in commerce. The colours of the leaves afforded 
bv these two plants are somewhat different, “those of the lanceolata being a bright yellowish green; those 
of the obovata green without any yellowish cast. With the true senna are mixed the leaves of another 
plant the Cynanchum Arquel. Rouillon says that at Cairo the traders mix these m the proportions of 500 
of C.’ lanceolata, 300 of C. obovata, and 200 of Cynanchum Arquel (Don.) 
The Sennas rise with a somewhat woody, erect, branching stem, to the height of about two feet, ihe 
leaves are alternate, smooth, flat, and pinnated; each leaf is composed of five or six pairs of oval entire 
pointed sessile leaflets, about an inch long, and one fourth of an inch broad, of a firm texture, and bright 
vellowish green colour. The flowers are pale yellow, borne in loose axillary racemes, on the upper part of 
the stem The calyx is monophyllous, five-toothed ; the teeth are obtuse, concave, and deciduous. The 
corolla consists of five roundish, entire, concave petals, the three lower ones largest; the filaments are ten, 
the three inferior ones longer than the others, and furnished with large curved anthers : the germen is cylin- 
drical supporting a short incurved style, and an obtuse stigma. The fruit is described by Gartner as an 
ovate ’kidney-shaped membranous legume, with foliaceous appendages, marked with capillary, transverse, 
parallel strim, bivalve, with six or nine cells, and divided by very thin transverse partitions, each containing 
0116 Accoffiffigto^laus Cebus, the Greek word which is used by Dioscorides, is derived from the 
Hebrew Ketzioth, rendered in the Septuagint by ™«r<r.«y; and this has been latinized by Cassia Senna is 
but slightly varied from Siena, or Sienna, the Arabic name for the plant ; and even this is said to own a 
Heb Tuias 1 ffing been famed, even proverbially, for its cathartic powers : thus Shakspeare says in Macbeth, 
“ What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug 
Would scour these English hence ?” 
The qualities of Senna were known to the Arabian physicians, Serapion and Mesue, who flourished 
about the beginning of the ninth century, and used it as a medicine Actuarius a Greek Physician, who 
lived in the thirteenth century, also notices it, but like Mesue, employed the pod, not the leaves. 
Senna has been grown in England, but as it is an annual, its seeds must be sown m the early part of 
the spring on a hot-bed ; “and when the plants are fit to remove, each must be placed m a separate pot, 
filled with light earth, and plunged into a moderate hot-bed, where they should be shaded till they have 
taken fresh root ; after which; they should have fresh air admitted to them every day m proportion to the 
warmth of the season, and should be frequently watered. When the plants have filled the pots with their 
roots, they should be shifted into larger; and if they be too tall to remain m the hot-bed, they must be 
placed either in the stove, or a glass case, where they may be defended from the cold, but in warm weather 
have plenty of air. It is very rare that seeds are perfected m England. .... .... 
- Medical Properties and Uses.— Senna is frequently administered m the form of infusion, com- 
bined either with manna or tamarinds, soluble tartar, Epsom salts, &c. Dr. Cul len recommends coriander 
seeds and Dr. Paris Bohea tea, to cover its nauseous taste; and guaiacum is said to increase its powers. 
We have lately had our attention excited to a preparation, called a concentrated essence, made, we un- 
derstand, without a high temperature being applied : and one drachm to an ounce of water will form a mix- 
