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Alexandrian Senna: Source & Characteristics

Alexandrian senna consists of dried leaflets from Cassia acutifolia plants grown in Sudan and collected from wild sources when fruits are unripe. The leaves are 2-4 cm long and 7-12 mm wide with an ovate-lanceolate shape, asymmetrical base, and pale greyish-green color. Microscopic analysis shows stomatal indices of 11.4 to 13.3 and palisade ratios of 4.5-19, distinguishing it from Tinnevelley senna. It contains the same sennosides as Tinnevelley senna but at a higher percentage of 3-3.6%. Common

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Siddhant Banwat
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117 views2 pages

Alexandrian Senna: Source & Characteristics

Alexandrian senna consists of dried leaflets from Cassia acutifolia plants grown in Sudan and collected from wild sources when fruits are unripe. The leaves are 2-4 cm long and 7-12 mm wide with an ovate-lanceolate shape, asymmetrical base, and pale greyish-green color. Microscopic analysis shows stomatal indices of 11.4 to 13.3 and palisade ratios of 4.5-19, distinguishing it from Tinnevelley senna. It contains the same sennosides as Tinnevelley senna but at a higher percentage of 3-3.6%. Common

Uploaded by

Siddhant Banwat
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ALEXANDRIAN SENNA

Synonyms
Folia sennae Alexandrina, Cassia senna, Egyptian senna.

Biological Source
It consists of dried leaflets of Cassia acutifolia Deli\e, belonging to fami\y Leguminosae.

Geographical Source
Middle and upper Nile territories, tropical Africa and specially Sudan.
collection and Preparation

Alexandrian senna is obtained mainly from wild sources growing in Kordofon region of white
nd
Nile Province a ,also in Khartoum area. The collection of leaflets along with branches is done
when plants are bearing unripe fruits and dried under sunlight. The leaves are cleaned and graded
into entire leaves, entire a_~~ broken leaves, siftings and pods.

· The process of separation is carried out by sifting whereby first the large stalks and pods are
separated from which pods are manually plucked out. The material which passes through sieves
contains entire leaves, broken leaves, heavier stalks and sand. This is mechanically tossed by which
entire and broken leaves are cleared out from other part. Such leaves are once again sifted, so that it
separates out mixed leaves, small fragments and very small leaflets. Entire leaves are hand picked
from mixed leaves and packed in mats or bales without pressing .
.-!--- --..::'.- - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
Macroscopic Characters (Fig. 9.9)

Alexandrian senna resembles to Tinnevelley


senna except following differing characters.

Alexandrian senna is 2-4 cm long and 7-12 mm


wide with ovate-lanceolate shape. The margin is
entire and curled. The base is more asymmetrical. It is
more pubescent and has a thin brittle texture. It has a
pale greyish-green colour.
Fig. 9.9: Alexandrian senna leaf lets

Microscopic Characters

Both Alexandrian senna and Tinnevelley senna are very much identical in their histological
characters. The main criterion applied for the differentiation among two species is the various leaf
contents viz . stomata! index, palisade ratio and vein-islet number.

For Alexandrian senna, these values are

(1) Stomata! index 11.4 to 12.2 to 13.3 (For both surfaces)

(2) Palisade ratio 4.5 - 9. 5 - 19 (upper surface)

3 .5 _ 7.0 _ 14.5 (lower surface)

(3) Vein-islet number : 25 - 29 ·5

Chemical Constituents . a The


. f I d . senna are same as that of Tinnevelley senn .
All the chemical constituents o A exan nan d to Indian senna.
. . d
percentage of sennos1des in leaves an Pods is more (3 _ 3.6 per cent) as compare

Adulterants and Substitutes Arabian senna.


Ih Bombay , Mecca or
It is found to be adu Iterate d wi·th Dog senna, Pa t e senna,

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