Senna Pods
» Senna Pods are the dried ripe fruits of Senna alexandrina Mill also known as Cassia acutifolia Delile (Alexandrian senna) or C. angustifolia Vahl (Tinnevelly senna) (Fam. Fabaceae). Senna Pods contain not less than 3.4 percent (Alexandrian senna) and not less than 2.2 percent (Tinnevelly senna), of anthraquinone glucosides, calculated as sennosides, on the dried basis.
Packaging and storage
Preserve against attack by insects and rodents (see Vegetable and Animal DrugsPreservation in the General Notices). Store protected from light and moisture, at room temperature.
Labeling
The label states the Latin binomial and, following the official name, the part of the plant contained in the article.
Botanic characteristics
Unground Alexandrian senna pods
Occur as flattened, reniform, membranous, leathery pods; green to greenish-brown with brown patches at the positions corresponding to the seeds; from 40 to 50 mm in length and at least 20 mm wide; at one end is a stylar point and at the other a short stalk. The pods contain six or seven flattened and obovate seeds, green to pale brown, with a continuous network of prominent ridges on the testa.
Unground Tinnevelly senna pods
Occur as flattened, slightly reniform, membranous, leathery pods; brown to yellowish-brown with brown patches at the positions corresponding to the seeds; slightly longer but narrower than Alexandrian senna pods, from 35 to 60 mm in length and 14 to 18 mm wide; at one end is a stylar point and at the other a short stalk. The pods contain five to eight flattened and obovate seeds, green to pale brown, with incomplete, wavy, transverse ridges on the testa.
Histology
Senna pods show epicarp with very thick cuticulized polygonal cells, occasional anomocytic or paracytic stomata, and very few nonglandular, one-celled, conical, often curved hairs, with thick papillose walls, from 100 to 350 µm in length; mesocarp consists of parenchymatous tissue containing a layer of calcium oxalate prisms and vascular bundles partially enclosed by fibers; endocarp with two crossed layers of fibers; seeds with a subepidermal layer of palisade cells with thick outer walls and endosperm of polyhedral cells with mucilaginous walls.
Powdered senna pods
Brown powder displaying polygonal cells with occasional small numbers of nonglandular hairs and anomocytic or paracytic stomata, fibers in two crossed layers accompanied by a crystal sheath of calcium oxalate prisms, isolated hairs, masses of palisade cells of the seeds, clusters, and prisms of calcium oxalate.
Identification
Proceed as directed in the Identification test under Senna Leaf, except to use 500 mg of finely powdered Senna Pods.
Microbial enumeration 2021
The total bacterial count does not exceed 105 cfu per g, the total combined molds and yeasts count does not exceed 103 cfu per g, the bile-tolerant Gram-negative bacteria does not exceed 103 cfu per g, and it meets the requirements of the tests for absence of Salmonella species and Escherichia coli.
Loss on drying 731
Dry 1.0 g of finely powdered Senna Pods at 105 for 2 hours: it loses not more than 12.0% of its weight.
Foreign organic matter 561:
not more than 1.0%.
Total ash 561:
not more than 9.0%.
Acid-insoluble ash 561:
not more than 2.0%.
Assay
Proceed as directed in the Assay under Senna Leaf, using 0.15 g of finely powdered Senna Pods to prepare the Assay preparation.
Auxiliary Information
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USP32NF27 Page 3550
Pharmacopeial Forum: Volume No. 32(1) Page 140
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