Senna leaves and senna pods come from the same plant, Cassia angustifolia, but they are different purchases: different sennosides profiles, different buyers, different prices and different packing. The one-line answer: buy pods if you extract or standardise, buy leaves if you sell the botanical itself, as tea-cut, whole leaf or powder. Here is the longer version.
What actually differs
| Leaves | Pods | |
|---|---|---|
| Sennosides | Lower, more variable | Higher, more consistent |
| Main buyers | Tea and infusion brands, capsule fillers | Extract and standardisation manufacturers |
| Common forms | Whole, tea-cut (T-cut), powder | Whole pods, occasionally powder |
| Published price (mid-2026, ex-works) | Rs 45 to 55 per kg | Rs 50 to 60 per kg |
| Packing | Pressed bales, PP bags, cartons | Bags and cartons |
Choose by end use, not by price
Standardised extracts. Specify pods. The higher, steadier sennosides concentration is what your extraction yield is built on, and the modest per-kg premium disappears in the yield equation.
Teas and infusions. Specify leaves in tea-cut form, sieved to your cut size. Leaf integrity and colour matter here; the cup is the product.
Capsules and powders. Leaf powder milled to your mesh is the usual choice. If your label claims a sennosides figure, consider whether you should be buying a standardised extract instead of a straight powder.
Wholesale and repacking. Whole leaves in pressed bales ship most efficiently and give your own downstream buyers the most flexibility.
The paperwork is the same
Whichever you choose, the documentation should not differ: a per-lot Certificate of Analysis covering identity, sennosides assay, moisture, ash, foreign matter and microbial load, plus export documents from a GMP and APEDA registered supplier. If a supplier treats the COA as an optional extra on either product, that is the real red flag.
Current specifications and indicative prices are on the senna leaves and senna pods pages. For the full market picture, including Tinnevelly grades and destination demand, see the bulk senna sourcing guide and our senna price guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are senna pods stronger than senna leaves?
Pods generally carry a higher and more consistent sennosides concentration than leaves. That is why extract manufacturers usually specify pods while tea and infusion brands buy leaves. Exact values vary by lot, so work from the COA rather than a rule of thumb.
Are senna pods more expensive than leaves?
Typically yes, kilogram for kilogram. As of mid-2026 our published listings put leaves around Rs 45 to 55 per kg and pods around Rs 50 to 60 per kg ex-works, with grade and volume moving both. The gap reflects the sennosides profile.
Can I substitute leaves for pods in an existing product?
Not silently. The sennosides profile differs, so a formulation qualified on pods will behave differently on leaves. Requalify the material against your specification, and tell your co-packer what changed.
Which ships more efficiently, leaves or pods?
Pressed whole-leaf bales stow densely and ship efficiently. Loose leaf is bulky for its weight. Pods and powders pack predictably in bags and cartons. For small trial volumes the difference is minor; at container scale it shows up in the landed cost.
Specifications vary by crop, season and grade. For current lot specifications, sennosides or lawsone levels, MOQ and pricing to your destination, ask our export desk for a live COA.