Senna

• Alternate Names: Cassia senna, cassia acutifolia, cassia marilandica, cassia augustifolia, wild senna, locust plant, aden senna, Fan-Hsieh-Yeh
• Medicinal part: Leaves and pods
• The leaves and pods of the senna plant contain compounds called anthraquinones, which are powerful laxatives.

Special Precautions of Senna

• Senna should not be used for more than seven consecutive days unless under a doctor's supervision. It should not be used to get a daily bowel movement.
• Pregnant or nursing women should not use senna. Children should not use senna.
• Senna or other anthraquinone-containing herbs should not be used by people diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, severe hemorrhoids, blood vessel disease, congestive heart failure, heart disease, severe anemia, abdominal hernia, gastrointestinal cancer, recent colon surgery, or liver and kidney disease.
• Senna may interact with drugs called calcium channel blockers, such as procardia, and the drug indocin.
• Senna may discolor urine.
• Side effects of senna may include strong cramping and griping pains in the abdomen (due to muscle contractions. Senna can also cause electrolyte imbalance (loss of potassium) and loss of body fluids, nausea, rash, swelling of the fingertips, weight loss, and dark pigmentation in the colon, called melanosis coli with longer term use. Discontinue using senna immediately if you experience these side effects. Call your doctor if you experience bloody diarrhea or prolonged abdominal pain after using rhubarb.
• Senna has been linked to liver toxicity. There is a report of a 52 year old woman who ingested one liter of senna tea per day for over three years. She developed acute liver failure and kidney impairment requiring intensive care therapy. Long-term use of anthraquinones has been linked to the development of colorectal growths (adenomas) and cancer.
• Large doses of anthraquinones may cause bloody diarrhea or vomiting.

The benefits of Senna are

Senna is an herb that contains compounds called anthraquinones, which are powerful laxatives. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved senna as a nonprescription laxative. Senna fruit seems to be gentler than senna leaf. This has led the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) to warn against long-term use of senna leaf, but not senna fruit.

• Constipation. Taking senna orally is effective for short-term treatment of constipation. Senna is an FDA-approved nonprescription drug for adults and children ages 2 years and older. However, in children ages 3-15 years, mineral oil and a medication called lactulose might be more effective. In elderly people, senna plus psyllium is more effective than lactulose for treating ongoing constipation.
• Bowel preparation before colonoscopy. Taking senna by mouth might be effective for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy; however, sodium phosphate or polyethylene glycol are more effective.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Irritable bowel disease.
• Losing weight.