A
ALEXANDRIAN SENNA (Senna alexandrina Mill.) +Synonyms — Cassia acutifolia Delile, C. angustifolia Vahl, C. lanceolata Forssk., C. senna L.
Activities (Alexandrian Senna) — Antidysenteric (f; WHO); Antileukemic (1; CAN); Anti-
spasmodic (f; PED); Bitter (f; PED); Carminative (f; WHO); Expectorant (f; WHO); Fungicide
(1; JAD); Hepatoprotective (1; CAN); Laxative (1; BGB; PH2; PIP; SKY); Mutagenic (1;
BGB); Peristaltic (1; PED; WHO).
Indications (Alexandrian Senna) — Anemia (f; PH2); Cancer (f; JLH); Constipation (2; BGB;
KOM; PH2; PIP; SKY; WHO); Cramp (f; PED); Dermatosis (f; WHO); Dysentery (1; WHO);
Dyspepsia (f; WHO); Enterosis (f; PH2); Fever (f; PH2; WHO); Fungus (1; JAD); Gas (f; WHO);
Gonorrhea (f; WHO); Hemorrhoid (f; BGB; PIP; WHO); Hepatosis (1; CAN; PH2); Infection (1;
JAD); Jaundice (f; PH2); Leukemia (1; CAN); Mycosis (1; JAD); Ringworm (1; JAD); Splenosis
(f; PH2); Typhoid (f; PH2); Wound (f; WHO).
Dosages (Alexandrian Senna) — 0.5–2 g (0.5–1 tsp)/cup water (APA); 1–2 g fruit (WHO);
3–6 alexandrian or 4–12 tinnevelly pods steeped in 150 ml warm water 6–12 hours (CAN);
0.5–2 g dry leaflets (CAN); 1–2 g dry leaf (PED; WHO); 1 g dry leaf:5 ml alcohol/5 ml water
(PED); 0.5–2 ml liquid leaf extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol) (CAN); 20–30 mg hydroxyanthracene
derivatives/day calculated as sennoside B (KOM); 2 (25 mg) StX extracts 1–2 ×/day (APA);
10–60 mg sennosides (SKY).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Alexandrian Senna) — Class 2b, 2c, 2d
(AHP). Commission E and other sources report interaction of anthranoid laxatives (AEH).
Anthranoid-containing laxatives can be habit-forming. Some contain compounds suspected of
being cytotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic, and even tumorigenic. Epidemiological studies in
Germany reveal that abusers of anthranoid laxatives have three times higher rate of colon
carcinoma. One woman developed clubbing of her digits and hypertropic osteoarthropathy