Definition

Noun: 1. A medicinal plant: Indian senna is the common name for an erect shrub, Senna alexandrina (formerly classified as Cassia angustifolia or Cassia senna). It is cultivated for its leaves and pods, which are dried and used primarily as a strong laxative or cathartic.

Usage

• is a key ingredient in many commercial herbal laxative teas and supplements.
• The pharmacopoeia specifies the proper dosage for dried leaves.
• Herbalists have used for centuries due to its potent cathartic properties.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In botanical and pharmacological texts, is distinguished from other senna varieties, such as (), though they are often used interchangeably in commerce and have similar medicinal uses.
• Pharmaceutical Context: The active compounds in are known as sennosides. The term is used when discussing the source of these purgative agents.

Variants and Related Words

• Senna (n): The broader genus () or the general term for the dried leaves of plants in this genus used medicinally. is a specific type of senna.
• Cassia senna (n): An older botanical synonym sometimes found in historical or alternative medical references.
• Tinnevelly senna (n): Another name for , referring to the region of Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli) in India where it is extensively cultivated.

Synonyms

• Senna leaves (when referring to the dried medicinal product from this specific plant).
• Purging cassia (an archaic common name).

Notes on Meaning

The term Indian senna specifically denotes the plant species and its dried leaves as a medicinal commodity. It is not used in general conversation but is specific to botany, herbal medicine, and pharmacology. Its primary and almost exclusive association is with its function as a cathartic.

Noun

1. erect shrub having racemes of tawny yellow flowers; the dried leaves are used medicinally as a cathartic; sometimes placed in genus Cassia