Palthé Senna as an Adulterant of Indian Senna Leaves

Abstract

Summary The principal characters which serve to differentiate Palthé senna from the official sennas, particularly in the broken or powdered condition, are:– The trichomes, which are about three times as long as those of genuine senna and lack a conspicuously warty cuticle. The presence of two layers of palisade cells on the upper side of the leaf and none on the lower. The cluster crystals being usually along the main veins, whereas the clusters of genuine senna are not found in the neighbourhood of the veins. The presence of occasional prisms of calcium oxalate on the smaller veinlets, where they are lacking in the official sennas. The palisade ratio, stomatal index and vein-islet number. The colours produced by 80 per cent. v/v sulphuric acid and chloral hydrate. The absence of anthraquinone derivatives, resulting in the leaf giving a negative result with Bornträger’s reaction.