Cassia Property

Stability:

Stable. Incompatible with mineral acids, carbonates, lime water, salts of heavy metals.

CAS DataBase Reference

8013-11-4

EPA Substance Registry System

Senna alexandrina (8013-11-4)

Hazard and Precautionary Statements (GHS)

Symbol(GHS)

Signal word

Danger

Hazard statements

H334May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled

Precautionary statements

P261Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.

P285In case of inadequate ventilation wear respiratory protection.

P304+P341IF INHALED: If breathing is difficult, remove victim to fresh air and keep at rest in a position comfortable for breathing.

P342+P311IF experiencing respiratory symptoms: call a POISON CENTER or doctor/physician.

P501Dispose of contents/container to..…

Cassia Chemical Properties,Usage,Production

Chemical Properties

yellow, tan or brown powder

Chemical Properties

A shrub up to 2 m (6.5 ft) tall; grows in tropical and subtropical countries and is cultivated in India and Pakistan. Some confusion exists in the botanical classification. Some pharmacopeae permit the use of only the Tinnevelly variety, C. augustifolia Vahl. This variety is taller and has a thicker foliage and smaller fruits than C. acutifolia Delile. Also, C. obovata is often classified as C. alexandria. C. medicinalis Bischoff var. Royleana has pinnate leaves consisting of a 7 to 15 cm long rachis and from five to nine pairs of short-petioled, lanceolate leaflets with an asymmetric base and acuminate apex. The fruits, commercially known as follicales, are greenish or sometimes brownish. The part used is the leaflet. Senna is the most commonly used laxative.

Definition

ChEBI: Sennoside A is a member of the class of sennosides that is rel-(9R,9'R)-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-bianthracene-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid which is substituted by hydroxy groups at positions 4 and 4', by beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy groups at positions 5 and 5', and by oxo groups at positions 10 and 10'. The exact stereochemisty at positions 9 and 9' is not known - it may be R,R (as shown) or S,S. It is a member of sennosides and an oxo dicarboxylic acid.

Composition

The leaves contain sennaemodin, sermanigrin, sermarhamnetin, and anthraquinones. Presence of anthraquinones including dianthrone glycosides, sennosides A and B (rhein dianthrones), sennosides C and D (rhein aloeemodin heterodianthrones) and several sennosides have been detected. Similar to leaves, the pod also contains rhein dianthrone glycosides. Two naphthalene glycosides isolated from senna leaves and pods are 6-hydroxymusicin glucoside and tinnevellin glucoside.* Senna contains anthracene derivatives (2.5 to 3.5% in the leaves, ~3.4% in the fruits of C. senna, 2.2 to 6.0% in the fruits of C. angustifolia). The chief components are sennosides A, A1 and B, as well as sennosides C and D. It also contains naphthalene derivatives including 6-hydroxymusizin glucoside (0.85% in C. senna), tinnevellin-6-glucoside (0.3% in C. angustifolia).

General Description

Yellow-brown powder with a slight odor and taste.

Air & Water Reactions

Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Cassia is incompatible with mineral acids, carbonates, infusion cinchona, lime water, salts of heavy metals and tartar emetic .

Health Hazard

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms of exposure to Cassia may include purging and blood in the stools. It can cause collapse. Griping and abortion also occur. The urine may acquire a marked yellow color, which changes to red on the addition of alkali.

Fire Hazard

Flash point data for Cassia are not available; however, Cassia is probably combustible.