Specification :

The principal active constituents of senna are dimeric glycosides called SENNOSIDES A, B, C, and D. The aglycones are composed of aloe-emodin + rhein for A and B and rhein + rhein for C and D.

Other Phytochemicals: sennoside C, sennoside D, rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, kaempferol, myricyl alcohol, salicvlic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, isorhamnetin, barbaloin, kaempferol, Cathartic Acid, anthraquinone derivatives, etc.

Constituents of Cassia Senna:

Anthraquinone glycosides: in the leaf; sennosidesA and B based on the aglycones sennidin A and B, sennosides C and D which are glycosides of heterodianthrones of aloe-emodin and rhein. Others include palmidin A, rhein anthrone and aloe-emodin glycosides, some free anthraquinones and some potent, novel compounds of as yet undetermined structure. C. senna usually contains more of the sennosides.

Anthraquinone glycosides: In the fruit; sennosides A and B and a closely related glycoside sennoside A1.
Naphthalene glycosides; tinnevellin glycoside and 6-hydroxymusizinglycoside
Miscellaneous; mucilage, flavonoids, volatile oil, sugars, resins, etc
Main Effective Constituents: Sennoside A, C42H38O20; Sennoside B, C42H38O20.

Other Phytochemicals: Sennoside C; Sennoside D; Rhein; Chrysophanol; aloe-emodin; kampferol; myricyl alcohol; salicvlic acid; palmitic acid; stearic acid; isorhamnetin; barbaloin; kaempferol, etc.

More about constituents of Cassia Senna:

Senna contains anthraquinone glycosides known as sennosides. These molecules are converted by the normal bacteria in the colon into rhein-anthrone, which in turn has two effects. It first stimulates colon activity and thus speeds bowel movements. Second, it increases fluid secretion by the colon.

Together, these actions work to get a sluggish colon functional again. Several controlled studies have confirmed the benefit of senna in treating constipation.

Constipation induced by drugs such as the anti-diarrhea medicine loperamide ( Imodium) has also been shown to be improved by senna in a clinical trial.

Senna leaf contains 1.5~ 3% hydroxyanthracene glycosides, mainly sennosides A and B, which are rhein-dianthrones, and smaller amounts of sennosides C and D, which are rhein-aloe-emodin-heterodianthrones; naphthalene glycosides; flavonoids ( derivatives of kaempferol and isorhamnetin) ; 10~ 12% mineral matter; 7~ 10% mucilage ( galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid) ; about 8% polyol ( pinitol) ; sugars ( glucose, fructose, and sucrose) ; and resins.

The Commission E reported 1, 8-dihydroxy-anthracene derivatives have a laxative effect. This effect is due to the sennosides, specifically their active metabolite in the colon, rheinanthrone. The effect is caused by inhibiting stationary and stimulating propulsive contractions in the colon. This results in an accelerated intestinal passage and, because of the shortened contact time, a reduction in liquid absorbed through the lumen. In addition, stimulation of active chloride secretion increases water and electrolyte content of the contents of the intestine.

Systematic studies pertaining to the kinetics of senna leaf preparations are not available. However, it must be supposed that the aglycones contained in the drug are absorbed in the upper small intestine. The b-glycosides are prodrugs that are neither absorbed nor cleaved in the upper gastrointestinal tract. They are degraded in the colon by bacterial enzymes to rheinanthrone, the laxative metabolite. The systemic availability of rheinanthrone is very low. Animal experiments reveal that less than 5% is passed in the urine in oxidized form or in conjugated form as rhein and sennodine. The major amount of rheinanthrone ( more than 90% ) is bound to the feces in the colon and excreted as a polymer.

Active metabolites, such as rhein, infiltrate in small amounts into the milk ducts. A laxative effect on nursing infants has not been observed. The placental permeability for rhein is very small, as was observed in animal experiments.

Drug preparations ( i.e., preparations from whole senna leaf) have a higher general toxicity than the pure glycosides, presumably due to the content of aglycones. Experiments with senna leaf preparations are not available. A senna extract showed mutagenic toxicity in vitro. The pure substance, sennoside A, B, showed no mutagenic toxicity in vitro. An in vivo study with a defined extract of senna pod revealed no mutagenicity. Preparations with an anthranoid content of 1.4~ 3.5% ( calculated as the sum of specific individual compounds) were used. These were potentially equivalent to 0.9~ 2.9% rhein, 0.05~ 0.15% aloe-emodin, and 0.001~ 0.006% emodin. The results appear to be also applicable for specific senna leaf preparations. Some positive results have been observed for aloe-emodin, and emodin. A study for carcinogenicity was performed with an enriched sennoside fraction containing about 40.8% anthranoids, of which 35% were sennosides ( calculated as the sum of the individually determined compounds) , equivalent to about 25.2% of the calculated potential rhein, 2.3% potential aloe-emodin, and 0.007% potential emodin. The tested substance contained 142 ppm free aloe-emodin and 9 ppm free emodin. The study was conducted over 104 weeks. Rats received up to 25 mg/ kg body weight and showed no substance-dependent increase of tumors.