Cassia acutifoliate (Latin: Cassia angustifolia) is a species of shrubs of the genus Senna (Senna) of the legume family (Fabaceae).
Other names: Alexandria Leaf, Egyptian Senna, African Cassia, narrow-leaved Cassia, Senna.
Small shrub up to 1 m high (in culture up to 2 m).
The root is rod, slightly branched, deeply leaving in the soil.
The stalk is erect, branched, with the next complex paired leaves with 4-8 pairs of narrow, ovate-lanceolate acute leaves.
The flowers are slightly irregular, yellow, collected in axillary racemose inflorescences. Although cassia flowers are irregular, all of their petals are the same size. Each flower has 10 stamens.
The fruit is a flat multi-seeded, slightly curved bean up to 5.5 cm long, up to 2.5 cm wide, dark brown in color. Seeds are large, angular heart-shaped.
Cassia Holly leaves blooms from June to September, seeds ripen from September.
Distributed in the deserts of Africa and Asia. Used in medicine in Western Europe and Asia. Included in Indian pharmacography.
As a medicinal raw material, a senna leaf, or an Alexandrian leaf (lat. Folium Sennae) is used — individual leaves collected several times during the summer of a complex paired leaf.
The therapeutic effect is due to aloe-emodin, rhein diantrons – sennosides A and B. The resinous substances contained in the leaves, if improperly prepared, can cause pain in the intestines.
To obtain the extract and kafiola, the senna fruit (Latin Fructus Sennae (Cassiae)) is also used – fruits and leaves of fruits of various degrees of maturity.
Chemical composition
The leaves and fruits of cassia hollifolia contain antraglycosides (sennidin A and B, rhein, aloe-emodin), the biological activity of the plant depends on its content. The main glycoside aglycon is aloe emodin. In addition, organic acids (palmitic, linoleic, stearic, etc.), glycosides – campferol and campferin, alkaloids, sterols, etc. were found in the plant. Flavonols and resinous substances were also found in the leaves.
Cassia leaves contain up to 3% of anthraglycosides, and 4.6% in fruits.
The leaves and extracts of the plant have long been used as a laxative, as well as in diseases of the liver and gall bladder. However, at present, senna dosage forms are gradually being withdrawn from national pharmacopeias due to the insufficiently good ratio of the effectiveness and safety of drugs. Prolonged use of senna harms the liver, gastrointestinal and immune systems.
Holly cassia is used in Asian medicine as a diaphoretic, abortive, increasing appetite and diuretic. Approved for use in some countries of Western Europe.
Included in Safay Ultra.