✵This article documents the herb Senna Leaf, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—two plant species: (1) Cassia angustifolia Vahl. and (2) Cassia acutifolia Delile. It provides a detailed description of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species, as well as the characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Folium Sennae (Senna Leaf)
Pinyin Name: Fān Xiè Yè
English Name: Senna Leaf
Latin Name:Folium Sennae Properties and Flavor: Cold; sweet and bitter
Brief Introduction:Folium Sennae consists of the dried leaflets of Cassia angustifolia Vahl. or Cassia acutifolia Delile. It is used as a purgative, primarily for constipation—especially habitual constipation. Common names include Folium Sennae, Senna Leaf, and Fān Xiè Yè.
Botanical source: Classical Chinese herbal works define Senna Leaf (Fān Xiè Yè) as the leaves of (1) Cassia angustifolia Vahl. or (2) Cassia acutifolia Delile.—plants of the genus Senna, family Fabaceae (syn. Leguminosae, Papilionaceae; commonly called the legume or pea family), order Rosales. The two principal species are described below:
(1) Cassia angustifolia Vahl.
Botanical description:Cassia angustifolia Vahl. is a herbaceous semishrub of the Fabaceae family and genus Senna, commonly known as Narrow-leaf Cassia or Xiá Yè Fān Xiè ("Narrow-leaf Cassia Senna"). It grows up to approximately 1 m in height. Stipules are ovate-lanceolate, 2–4 mm long. Leaves are paripinnate and alternate, with short petioles. Leaflets occur in 5–8 pairs; leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2–4 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm wide; apices are acute, bases slightly asymmetric; surfaces are glabrous or nearly so.
Inflorescences are axillary or terminal racemes bearing 6–14 flowers. Bracts at the peduncle base are oval and caducous. Calyx has 5 ovate-oblong sepals of slightly unequal size. Corolla has 5 yellow, obovate petals; the two lower petals are larger. Stamens number 10: the upper 3 are small and sterile; the central 4 are equal in length; the lowest 3 are recurved downward; the lateral stamens are longer. Anthers are slightly square, with arrow-shaped bases and 4 locules. The pistil is falcate (sickle-shaped) and curved; the ovary is stipitate and sparsely hairy.
Fruits are flattened, rectangular legumes (pods), 4–6 cm long and 1–1.7 cm wide, with a minute, inconspicuous, pubescent apical beak when young. Each pod contains 4–7 seeds. Seed coats are brownish-green, with fine, filiform seed stalks and verrucous wrinkling. Flowering occurs from September to December; fruiting takes place in March of the following year.
Ecological Environment:Cassia angustifolia grows wild in open fields or is cultivated.
Growth Characteristics: Native to xerothermic (hot and arid) regions, this plant completes its life cycle—from sowing to flowering—in 3–5 months. Optimal growth requires an average of 180–200 days with temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F), during which accumulated temperature totals no less than 4,000–4,500 °C. Cultivation is best suited to well-drained, loose sandy loam or alluvial soils that are slightly acidic to neutral.
Characteristics of the Herb: Leaflets are mostly intact and flat, oval-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.5–5 cm long and 0.4–1.5 cm wide (some sources report 2–6 cm × 0.4–2 cm). The midvein is prominent on both surfaces; leaf apices taper to a sharp point; margins are entire; bases are slightly asymmetric. The upper surface is yellow-green; the lower surface is light yellow-green, with sparse trichomes on both sides; the midvein is especially prominent on the underside, accompanied by reticulate, plumose venation. Leaves are coriaceous. The herb has a weak, characteristic odor and a slightly bitter, slightly mucilaginous taste.
(2) Cassia acutifolia Delile.
Botanical Description:Cassia acutifolia Delile. is a herbaceous semishrub of the Fabaceae family and genus Senna, commonly known as Sharp-leaf Cassia or Jiān Yè Fān Xiè ("Sharp-leaf Cassia Senna"). Leaves are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, slightly curled, 1.5–5 cm long and 0.4–2 cm wide; margins are entire; apices are short-acuminate or slightly protruding; bases are asymmetric; both surfaces are sparsely flocculent along the elevated veins; texture is coriaceous; odor is weak and characteristic; taste is slightly bitter.
The morphological characteristics of this species differ from those of Cassia angustifolia Vahl., and the main differences are as follows: leaflets occur in 4–6 pairs; they are ovate-oblong, with acute apices and asymmetric bases; the lower leaf surface is celadon (sage green); flowers are smaller; and fruits (pods) are elliptic, 2–2.5 cm wide.
Ecological Environment:Cassia acutifolia Delile grows wild in open fields or is cultivated.
Characteristics of the Herb: Leaflets are broadly lanceolate or ovate-oblong, 2–4 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm wide; leaf apices are acute or emarginate (slightly notched), margins are entire, and bases are asymmetric. The upper surface is pale green; the lower surface is celadon (sage green or grayish-green) and slightly pubescent. The herb is thin, crisp, and slightly coriaceous. It has a weak, characteristic odor and a slightly bitter, slightly mucilaginous taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Purgative effect; (2) Antibacterial activity (aqueous infusions inhibit various bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus alpha-hemolyticus, Candida albicans, and certain pathogenic dermatophytes); (3) Antifungal activity; (4) Archery poisoning effects.
Medicinal Efficacy: Purging heat and resolving food retention; purging heat and promoting bowel movement; relieving constipation; resolving food stagnation; cooling the blood and arresting bleeding; and alleviating edema. It is indicated for heat accumulation with food retention in the stomach; heat accumulation with constipation; habitual constipation; constipation accompanied by abdominal pain; food retention with abdominal distension; edema with abdominal fullness; gastrointestinal bleeding (e.g., gastric or duodenal ulcer hemorrhage); and other related conditions.
Administration of Folium Sennae (Fān Xiè Yè):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Folium Sennae (Fān Xiè Yè)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 2–6 grams; add to decoction near the end of boiling ("add later"), or brew in boiling water and drink; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–2 qian (≈ 3–6 grams), added near the end of boiling; or as finely ground powder (0.5–1 qian ≈ 1.5–3 g); or brewed in boiling water and taken orally; (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–6 grams, added near the end of boiling; or brewed and consumed as an infusion; or as finely ground powder (1.5–3 g).
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Folium Sennae should be used with caution—and is contraindicated—during pregnancy.
✵This article documents the herb Senna Leaf, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical sources—two plant species: (1) Cassia angustifolia Vahl. and (2) Cassia acutifolia Delile. It provides a detailed description of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species, as well as the characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Fān Xiè Yè
Botanical description: Cassia angustifolia Vahl. is a herbaceous semishrub of the Fabaceae family and genus Senna, commonly known as Narrow-leaf Cassia or Xiá Yè Fān Xiè ("Narrow-leaf Cassia Senna"). It grows up to approximately 1 m in height. Stipules are ovate-lanceolate, 2–4 mm long. Leaves are paripinnate and alternate, with short petioles. Leaflets occur in 5–8 pairs; leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2–4 cm long and 0.7–1.2 cm wide; apices are acute, bases slightly asymmetric; surfaces are glabrous or nearly so.
Characteristics of the Herb: Leaflets are mostly intact and flat, oval-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.5–5 cm long and 0.4–1.5 cm wide (some sources report 2–6 cm × 0.4–2 cm). The midvein is prominent on both surfaces; leaf apices taper to a sharp point; margins are entire; bases are slightly asymmetric. The upper surface is yellow-green; the lower surface is light yellow-green, with sparse trichomes on both sides; the midvein is especially prominent on the underside, accompanied by reticulate, plumose venation. Leaves are coriaceous. The herb has a weak, characteristic odor and a slightly bitter, slightly mucilaginous taste.
Botanical Description: Cassia acutifolia Delile. is a herbaceous semishrub of the Fabaceae family and genus Senna, commonly known as Sharp-leaf Cassia or Jiān Yè Fān Xiè ("Sharp-leaf Cassia Senna"). Leaves are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, slightly curled, 1.5–5 cm long and 0.4–2 cm wide; margins are entire; apices are short-acuminate or slightly protruding; bases are asymmetric; both surfaces are sparsely flocculent along the elevated veins; texture is coriaceous; odor is weak and characteristic; taste is slightly bitter.
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