Indian Senna - Plant

Planting and care

Tirunelveli Senna is a shrubby plant that reaches 0.5-1 m, rarely 2 m in height with a branched, pale-green erect stem and long spreading branches bearing four or five pairs of leaves. These leaves form complex, feathery, mutual pairs. The leaflets vary from 4 to 6 pairs, entire, with a sharp tip.
The midribs are equally divided at the base of the leaflets. The flowers are borne in a raceme, and are big in size, coloured yellow that tends to brown. Its pods are horned, broadly oblong, compressed and flat and contain about six seeds. When cultured, the plants are cut down semi-annually, dried in the sun, stripped and packed in palm-leaf bags.

Caring for Indian Senna

The dried leaf of Indian Senna is used as a purgative. The powder of the leaf is taken in a dosage of 1-2 g with hot water in conditions of constipation, abdominal distention.In skin diseases, the paste of the leaf of Cassia angustifolia is applied along with vinegar to the affected part of the body.

Typical uses of Indian Senna

Special features: The dried leaf of Indian Senna is used as a purgative. The powder of the leaf is taken in a dosage of 1-2 g with hot water in conditions of constipation, abdominal distention.In skin diseases, the paste of the leaf of Cassia angustifolia is applied along with vinegar to the affected part of the body.

Culinary use: Leaves

Medicinal use: Herbal medicine

References