Senna \Sen"na\, n. [Cf. It. & Sp. sena, Pg. sene, F. s['e]n['e];
all fr. Ar. san[=a].]
1. (Med.) The leaves of several leguminous plants of the
genus Cassia. (C. acutifolia, C. angustifolia, etc.).
They constitute a valuable but nauseous cathartic
medicine.
2. (Bot.) The plants themselves, native to the East, but now
cultivated largely in the south of Europe and in the West
Indies.
Bladder senna. (Bot.) See under Bladder.
Wild senna (Bot.), the Cassia Marilandica, growing in the
United States, the leaves of which are used medicinally,
like those of the officinal senna.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) |