Cassia

yellow, tan or brown powder

A shrub up to 2 m (6.5 ft) tall; grows in tropical and subtropical countries and is cultivated in India and Pakistan. Some confusion exists in the botanical classification. Some pharmacopeae permit the use of only the Tinnevelly variety, C. augustifolia Vahl. This variety is taller and has a thicker foliage and smaller fruits than C. acutifolia Delile. Also, C. obovata is often classified as C. alexandria. C. medicinalis Bischoff var. Royleana has pinnate leaves consisting of a 7 to 15 cm long rachis and from five to nine pairs of short-petioled, lanceolate leaflets with an asymmetric base and acuminate apex. The fruits, commercially known as follicales, are greenish or sometimes brownish. The part used is the leaflet. Senna is the most commonly used laxative.

ChEBI: Sennoside A is a member of the class of sennosides that is rel-(9R,9'R)-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-bianthracene-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid which is substituted by hydroxy groups at positions 4 and 4', by beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy groups at positions 5 and 5', and by oxo groups at positions 10 and 10'. The exact stereochemisty at positions 9 and 9' is not known - it may be R,R (as shown) or S,S. It is a member of sennosides and an oxo dicarboxylic acid.

Yellow-brown powder with a slight odor and taste.