senna
/ˈsɛnə
/noun
1The cassia tree.Senna grows in most tropical regions of the world....
- Even we do not use irrigation and fumigation to our field used for growing senna.
1.1 [mass noun] A laxative prepared from the dried pods of the cassia tree.The non-osmotic laxatives, phenolphthalein and senna, partly act by stimulating secretory mechanisms in the intestine....
- Do not use strong laxatives, such as the stimulant laxative senna, on a routine basis unless on the advice of doctor, because long term use of such laxatives can be harmful.
- A 40-year-old woman with Rett syndrome presented to her general practitioner with a long-standing history of abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and constipation requiring laxatives including senna.
1.2Used in names of plants of the pea family that are similar to senna, e.g. bladder senna.The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 7 priority actions to help recover the Bladder Senna in New South Wales....
- Originally, Alexandrian senna was obtained principally from Sudan, but it is now cultivated in both Egypt and Sudan.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from medieval Latin sena, from Arabic sanā.