Senna as an Herb

(Cassia acutifolia, C. angustifolia)

Senna is an Arabian name, and the drug was first brought into use by the Arabian physicians.

Senna is the dried leaf or pod of Alexandria senna and Tinnevelley senna. Tinnevelley senna is most widely used in the United States.

Commercial Senna is prepared for use by garbling, or picking out the leaflets and rejecting the lead-stalks, impurities, and leaves of other plants. Good Senna may be known by the bright, fresh, yellowish-green color, with a faint and peculiar odor rather like green tea, and a sweetish, slightly bitter taste. It should be powdered only as wanted, because the powder absorbs moisture, becomes moldy, and loses its value. Boiling destroys its virtues.

Medicinal Uses for Senna

Powdered leaf tea has been used for many centuries, both in Eastern and Western traditions, for its laxative qualities.

Senna does one thing, and does it well - relieve constipation. Its leaves and pods contain anthranoids which have specific effects in the intestines.

Suffer from Constipation?
Herbolax, by virtue of its stool softening and intestinal motility enhancing actions, corrects constipation. Herbolax will not disturb the fluid and electrolyte balance. Herbolax is safe for long-term use without producing physiological dependence.

Senna leaves contain about half as much of the active compounds as the pods, but they are considered safer to use. Senna is less expensive than cascara sagrada, but it is a stronger laxative with a greater tendency to cause cramping. The leaves, as well as the anthranoids extracted from them, are still official drugs in U.S. Pharmacopoeia.

The addition of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, or other aromatics are excellent correctives of the negative effects. A teaspoonful of cream of tartar to a teacupful of the decoction of infusion of Senna, is a mild and pleasant laxative.

The infusion of Senna, or Senna Tea, consists of 100 grams of Senna leaves, 5 grams of sliced Ginger, 1,000 millilitres of distilled water, boiling. Infuse in a covered vessel for fifteen minutes, and strain, while hot. The United States Pharmacopoeia prefers coriander to ginger. The cold infusion is said to be less unpleasant in taste, and equal in strength to the hot.

Cautions

Senna should not be used for more than a week without a physician's advice. Longer use can cause dependency on laxatives as the bowels may become chronically sluggish. Some individuals may experience discomfort or cramping after using senna products. Prolonged use can lead to fluid and electrolyte imbalances, such as potassium loss, which can reduce the effectiveness of prescribed heart medications. Avoid using senna with licorice root, thiazide diuretics, or steroids because of the potential for potassium loss.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.