Ayurveda refers Senna as magical plant which helps to eliminate vitiated & putrefied Pitta through motion and gives relief in fever caused by excessive Pitta. Senna contains compounds which work as natural laxative by smoothing & relaxing the tissues of gastro-intestinal tract, as digested food moves through the intestines. Senna contains anthraquinones, including dianthrone glycosides (1.5% to 3%), sennosides A and B (rhein dianthrones), and sennosides C and D (rhein aloe-emodin heterodianthrones).

Senna remarkably also contains free anthraquinones including rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, and their glycosides. Senna pods contain the same rhein dianthrone glycosides as the leaves. Also, carbohydrates in the plant include 2% polysaccharides and approximately 10% mucilage, consisting of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid. Other carbohydrates include mannose, fructose, glucose, pinitol, and sucrose. Senna’s flavonols include isorhamnetin and kaempferol. Glycosides 6-hydroxymusizin and tinnevellin are also present.

Other constituents in senna specially for our use chrysophanic acid, salicylic acid, saponin, resin, mannitol, sodium potassium tartrate, and trace amounts of volatile oil. Specifically, cassia angustifolia, senna gives golden yellow highlight to grey a pale blonde tint, which is mainly due to sennosides interacting with acidic properties as gastro controller referred in classic Ayurveda. Senna leaves and fruit are edible, but they are not regularly recommended by modern medicine as they could interact with diuretics, blood thinners, other heart, and diabetes care medications.

The presence of chrysophanic acid, also found in rhubarb root helps in providing protective layer on hair cuticles. Senna never colours dark hair blonde or pale yellow but makes bleached, damaged, and chaffed hair silky and restores with golden hue on dull greying hair. Senna when mixed with normal henna reduces the red vibrancy due to its lawsones, where our knowledge led to patents.