Colutea.
Botanical name:
Colutea. Colutea arborescens L. Bladder Senna. Baguenaudier, Sene Indigene, Fr. Falsche Senna, G.—A leguminous shrub growing spontaneously in the southern and eastern parts of Europe, and cultivated in gardens. The leaflets are purgative, and in some parts of Europe are used as a substitute for senna, which is said to be sometimes adulterated with them. Barbey (P. J; 1895, 261) isolated coluteic acid, which occurs in white crystals, insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, chloroform, and carbon disulphide. Bladder senna is comparatively very feeble. It is administered in infusion or decoction, of which the dose is about half a pint, containing the virtues of from one to three ounces of the leaves.
