Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Metabolism of Sennoside A, A Medicinal Plant-Derived Natural Compound

Jiamei Le; Houlin Ji; Xiaoxiao Zhou; Xindong Wei; Yifan Chen; Yi Fu; Yujie Ma; Qiuqin Han; Yongning Sun; Yueqiu Gao; Hailong Wu

doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.714586

Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Metabolism of Sennoside A, A Medicinal Plant-Derived Natural Compound

Front Pharmacol. 2021 Oct 26:12:714586. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.714586. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jiamei Le^{1

2}, Houlin Ji^{1

3}, Xiaoxiao Zhou^{1

3}, Xindong Wei^{1

4}, Yifan Chen^{1

2}, Yi Fu^{1

2}, Yujie Ma^{1

2}, Qiuqin Han^{1

2}, Yongning Sun⁵, Yueqiu Gao^{6

7}, Hailong Wu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, China.
² Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China.
³ Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated 81st Hospital, Nanjing, China.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Department of Liver Diseases, Central Laboratory, Institute of Clinical Immunology, ShuGuang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
⁷ Laboratory of Cellular Immunity, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Sennoside A (SA) is a natural dianthrone glycoside mainly from medicinal plants of Senna and Rhubarb, and used as a folk traditional irritant laxative and slimming health food. Accumulating evidences suggest that SA possesses numerous pharmacological properties, such as laxative, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-neurodegenerative activities. These pharmacological effects lay the foundation for its potential application in treating a variety of diseases. However, numerous published studies suggest that a long-term use of SA in large doses may have some adverse effects, including the occurrence of melanosis coli and carcinogenesis of colon cancer, thereby limiting its clinical use. It remains to be established whether SA or its metabolites are responsible for the pharmacological and toxicity effects. In this review, the latest advances in the pharmacology, toxicology, and metabolism of SA were summarizedbased on its biological characteristics and mechanism.

Keywords: dianthrone glycoside; metabolism; pharmacology; sennoside A; toxicology.

Publication types

Review