Pharmaceutical Name:

Folium Sennae

Botanical Name:

Cassia angustifolia Vahl
Cassia acutifolia Delile

Common Name:

Senna Leaf

Source of Earliest Record:

Yaoxue Dacidian

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

The leaves are gathered in September and cleaned and dried in the sun.

Properties and Taste:

Sweet, bitter and cold

Meridian:

Large intestine

Functions:

To purge feces downward

Indications and Combinations:

Constipation. 

*Use alone or with Immature bitter orange (Zhishi) and Magnolia bark (Houpo).

Dosage:

1.5-3 g for mild constipation; 3-10 g for sever constipation

Cautions:

This herb is contraindicated during menstruation, lactation and pregnancy.