Sickle Senna Seed

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Sichuan.

Slightly square or short cylindrical shape, two ends are parallel, slightly slanted, 3~7mm long, 2~4mm wide, greenish-brown or dark brown, smooth and lustrous, one crest line on each side, and one pale yellow concave line on the two sides of crest; hard texture, not easily broken. Cut surface presents with a seed coat and 2 yellow cotyledons in “3” shaped fold. faint odor; slightly bitter taste.

Superior medicinal material has full seed and green color.

Sweet, bitter, salty; slightly cold.

Clears heat, brightens eyes, moistens intestines, frees stools. Apply to swelling pain induced by conjunctival congestion, intolerance of light and hyperdacryosis, headache and dizziness, lightheadedness, constipation. Belongs to liver, kidney and large intestine channels. It has effect of lose weight. Apply to conjunctival congestion with wind and heat, optic atrophy, night blindness, hypertension, hepatitis, abdominal dropsy due to cirrhosis, habitual constipation.