Shana
Crotalaria juncea
Shana (Crotalaria juncea) is a plant drug, also called Malya Puspa and Sana. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are hepatotoxic and must be strictly limited. Fiber content of seeds may reduce absorption of co-administered drugs. Seed oil fatty acids have high bioavailability.
| Botanical name | Crotalaria juncea |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. III: SANA (Seed) |
| Family | Fabaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Fabales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2942877 · Wikidata Q2855436 · NCBI Taxonomy 3829 |
| Sanskrit | Malya Puspa, शण (śaṇa) |
|---|---|
| Hindi | सन (sana) |
| English | Sunnhemp |
| Tamil | Sanal, சணல் |
| Malayalam | Chanampayaru, Pulivanji |
| Telugu | Giliginta |
| Kannada | Senabu |
| Marathi | Sanavu |
| Bengali | Shanpat |
| Gujarati | Hemp, Sun |
| Urdu | San |
| Punjabi | Sann |
| Oriya | Champal Beeja |
| Assamese | Ausa, Suila |
Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); efloraofindia.com, Crotalaria juncea vernacular names: Hindi 'सनई sanai', 'सन san', 'पटसन patsan'; efloraofindia.com, Crotalaria juncea: Hindi 'सन san', 'पटसन patsan'; efloraofindia.com, Crotalaria juncea: Sanskrit 'शण shana'; efloraofindia.com, Crotalaria juncea: Tamil 'சணல் canal'. How we source.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Shana |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Seed oil, Capsule, Lepa (external paste)
Standard Dosage: 3-5 g seed/leaf powder per day; 50-100 mL kwatha twice daily; seed oil for external application
Optimal Timing: External applications as needed; internal use (where appropriate): after meals
Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers. Seed oil in amber glass, nitrogen-flushed. Protect from light and moisture.
Marker Compounds: Vitexin, Isovitexin, Beta-sitosterol, Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (must be absent/below detection limit)
Synergistic Combinations
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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