Biochemical properties and bioactive compounds with multiple therapeutic values of Senna alata (l.), an ornamental shrub from the botanical family of fabaceae (leguminosae) – a pharmacological overview

Senna alata (L) is an ornamental flowering plant which is mostly used as antifungal agent as an oral preparation by traditional practitioners. The juice of fresh leaves of Senna alata is universally recognized by local healers as a remedy for parasitic skin disease and is used in the treatment of many eruptive and pustular skin condition by simply rubbing the crushed leaves either alone or mixed with oil on the skin. Root is taken in Nigerian and Guinea Bissau to regulate menstrual flow. Decoction with rock salt and other dry medicinal plants is taken in Nigeria thrice weekly on an empty stomach for effective treatment of chronic gonorrhoea. Though it has much therapeutic options traditionally, the most of these information are still under research for experimental evidences. There are some more research is going on to screen and to understand the existence of bioactive compounds with free radical scavenging activity, anticancer property and antidiabetic potency. In this critical time, we have sum up almost all the details of current and completed research on this plant as review here for the idea about Senna alata (L).