The Consumer Guide to Senna
Senna is a potent laxative herb derived from the leaflets and seedpods of various small shrubs. Much of the senna in commerce comes from plants grown in India, the Middle East, or northern Africa. Senna is an Arabic name and it was Arabians who first introduced senna to European healers, around 1,000 A.D. Its use as a laxative in the Middle East may go back many centuries before then.
Traditional uses
Senna has traditionally been used primarily as a laxative to relieve constipation and as a cathartic to clear toxins from the bowels. Native Americans used a senna species (C. marilandica) indigenous to eastern North America to reduce fevers. In a few cultures senna also had more minor applications to kill intestinal worms, alleviate indigestion, and treat ringworm and hemorrhoids. Traditional healers in northern Africa used it to heal various types of stomach pain. An unlikely traditional use (given senna's awful taste) was to use it as a mouthwash to freshen the breath.
Modern uses
Senna is an ingredient in many conventional over-the-counter laxatives and is used almost exclusively today to treat constipation. Senna is considered more potent than another widely used stimulant laxative, cascara sagrada. Senna is sometimes combined with herbs such as ginger or coriander to avoid intestinal cramps. Senna is included for its laxative properties in some dieter's teas; the value of a laxative in promoting weight loss is considered questionable by many herbalists and health authorities.
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Senna plants contain certain types of compounds known as anthraquinone and naphthalene glycosides, especially various sennosides. These have been shown to stimulate contractions in the colon and thus speed evacuation of the bowels. Minor amounts of other compounds in senna, such as mucilage and tannins, are not thought to contribute to its primary effect.
Senna is available in capsules, tablets, and as a tea. It is also found in formulas for constipation.
For more information on the features and benefits of the various dosage forms of herbal products (dried herb, extracts, teas, etc.), click here.
Potential side effects from senna may include diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps or pains. Discontinue use if these occur. Most herbalists recommend trying milder laxatives before resorting to senna, because of the severity of gripes (pinching and spasmodic pains in the bowels) senna can cause. Pregnant or lactating women should avoid senna, as should anyone with acute or chronic intestinal diseases and persons taking thiazide diuretics, corticosteroids, or licorice. Senna should be used with caution by children under the age of twelve and not at all by children under six. Most herbalists recommend not taking senna for more than seven to ten days at a time. Extended use of senna may cause "lazy bowels," an inability to move the bowels without the help of a stimulant laxative. Extended use can also lead to more serious adverse side effects from dehydration, potassium loss, and electrolyte imbalance, including muscle and heart ailments. In 1996 California became the first state to require warning labels for products containing senna and other stimulant laxatives.