Herbal Laxatives: Senna, Frangula, and Rheum

This assignment provides a comparative analysis of three popular herbal laxatives: Senna (Senna palmatum), Frangula (Rhamnus frangula), and Rheum (Rheum palmatum). Each section delves into the active constituents found in their respective plant parts, how these compounds exert their laxative effects, common therapeutic applications, and potential risks or adverse reactions associated with their use. The document aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of these herbal remedies and their implications for health.

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Materia Medica
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MATERIA MEDICA
Introduction
The action category that has been selected for the present report is Laxatives. The
three herbs that would be considered for the assignment are Senna Alexandrina, Frangula
Purshiana and Rheum Palmatum, a comparison and contrast between whom would be the
subject of the report.
Senna Alexandrina
• Medicinally active plant part- The dried leaflets and dried fruits of the plant are used for
medicinal purpose.
• Active constituents- The active ingredients are the numerous Senna glycosides,
steroisomers of Sennoside A and B. They are glycosides of a rhein anthrone molecule,
binding to each other in pairs. Other than this the other bioactive molecules are Emodin,
Aloe-emodin, Flavonoids and Napthalene (Ajayi et al., 2014).
• Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- The drug acts by acting with the
immune cells in the colon. There are two mechanisms by which the Senna products exerts
pro-motility effects. Stool softening effects are undertaken by modifying the intestinal
contractions for favouring peristalsis and by inducing the excess secretion of electrolytes into
the colon which increases the water content of the colon.
• Therapeutic indications- It is used as a laxative. The drug is effective in clearing the bowels
and also possess action capability due to which it is used at times before a colonoscopy. In
addition, it acts as a fungicide.
• Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- If this herb is
accidently consumed by infants, it leads to serious side effects such as severe diaper rash.

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Gastrointestinal cramps are rare. Prolonged ingestion can lead to electrolyte balance and
presence of protein and blood in the urine.
• Preparation- The herb is used in the form of chopped leaves or powdered leaves. In
addition, it can also be used as herbal tea (Tomlinson & Akerele, 2015).
• Dosage recommendations- For proper clinical usage, the accurate dose required for
producing the desired effect is the lowest dose. This is indicated by comfortable and sost-
fromed stool. This refers to 1-2 gm of the powdered extract standardised to 10-30 mg active
Sennosides.
Frangula Purshiana
• Medicinally active plant part- The bark of the plant is used as a very effective laxative.
• Active constituents- The constituens that are chiefly responsible for the medicinal action are
the Emodin and hydroxyanthracene glycosides.
• Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- A number of quinoid substances are
found in the bark of the plant. The hydroxyanthracene glycosides have the herbal ation by
working as a stimulant laxative. The peristalsis in the colon is excited by these stimulant
effects. This thereby triggers peristalsis through inhibiton of the absorption of electrolytes
and water in the large intestine. As a result of this action, the volume of the bowel’s content
increases, giving rise to increased pressure.
• Therapeutic indications- The main use of the herb is as a laxative. Some studies have shown
the anti-cancer effects of the drug (Cirillo & Capasso, 2015).

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• Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- The herb is to be
used for a short duration and not longer than a week. Pregnant women and lactating women
must not be consuming this drug since the infant might suffer adverse impacts. In addition,
people with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, appendicitis,
colitis, hemorrhoids, or kidney problems must not use this drug.
• Preparation- Once the bark is taken out from the tree, it is to eb aged for over one year
before it is fit for use. The reason is that bark that is freshly cut leads to violent dirrhea and
vomiting. The drying is to be done at low temperatures for a number of hours if the process is
to be carried out fast.
• Dosage recommendations- An effective dose of the plant is 1 to 3 grams dried bark, or 1–
2.5 grams powdered bark (Van Wyk & Wink, 2017).
Rheum Palmatum
• Medicinally active plant part- The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes.
• Active constituents- The roots of the plant have anthraquinone glycosides and dianthrone
glycosides, that act as laxative. Further, they aso have fatty acids, fructose, glucose and
starch.
• Secondary herbal actions and mechanisms of action- The herb works by increasing
peristalsis and inhibiting water absorption. This promotes defecation (Meier et al., 2017).
• Therapeutic indications- The root of the plant is used for curing stomach ailements ssuch as
dysentery and diarrhea, and relieving severe constipation. In addition, it is also used as a
poultice for edema and fevers. The herb is widely used due to its astringent capabilities and

MATERIA MEDICA
as a laxative. Further, the antibacterial properties make it a medicine for shringles,
hypertention, burn, appendicitis, conjunctivitis, swelling of gum and mouth sores.
• Potential safety issues ie: cautions, contra-indications and interactions- If consumed in high
dose, the drug leads to poisonous effect. This is due to the fact that the oxalic acid crystals
lead to health risks. Patients suffering from kidney problems, arthritis, intestinal obstruction,
inflammatory bowel disease must not take this drug. Further, pregnant women are to avoid
the drug. Adverse impacts might include abdominal pain, griping, nausea, vomittng and
hypertrophy of the liver.
• Preparation- The rhizomes of the plant are removed when the plant is about ten years old.
The crown and the lateral roots are to be removed and the debris are to be cleaned. After the
exterior bark is removed the root is to be cut into pieces and the dried.
• Dosage recommendations- The proper dose is 1-6g/day dried root/rhizome or 2-12mL/day
of 1:2 fluid extract (Chevallier, 2016).

MATERIA MEDICA
References
Ajayi, C. O., Funso-Babarimisa, F., & Elujoba, A. A. (2014). Laxative activities of Cassia
sieberiana and Senna obtusifolia. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and
Alternative Medicines, 11(4), 44-47.
Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of herbal medicine. Penguin.
Cirillo, C., & Capasso, R. (2015). Constipation and botanical medicines: an
overview. Phytotherapy Research, 29(10), 1488-1493.
Meier, N., Meier, B., Peter, S., & Wolfram, E. (2017). In-Silico UHPLC Method
Optimization for Aglycones in the Herbal Laxatives Aloe barbadensis Mill., Cassia
angustifolia Vahl Pods, Rhamnus frangula L. Bark, Rhamnus purshianus DC. Bark,
and Rheum palmatum L. Roots. Molecules, 22(11), 1838.
Tomlinson, T. R., & Akerele, O. (Eds.). (2015). Medicinal plants: their role in health and
biodiversity. University of Pennsylvania press.
Van Wyk, B. E., & Wink, M. (2017). Medicinal plants of the world., (Ed. 2). CABI.