SENNA

Description

WHAT IS SENNA?
Senna is an herb. The leaves and the fruit of the plant are used to make medicine.
Senna is an FDA-approved nonprescription laxative. It is used to treat constipation and to clear the bowel before diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy.
Senna is also used for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hemorrhoids, and weight loss.
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. The AHPA recommends that senna leaf products be labeled, “Do not use this product if you have abdominal pain or diarrhea. Consult a healthcare provider prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing. Discontinue use in the event of diarrhea or watery stools. Do not exceed recommended dose. Not for long-term use.”
There is not enough information to know if senna is effective for the other conditions people use it for, including: hemorrhoids, losing weight, and others.
Special Precautions While senna tea seems to be effective as a short-term constipation treatment, it should not be used long-term. Senna is generally well tolerated and thought to be safe for most people. However, it does have the potential to cause serious complications in some people with certain health conditions and who take certain medications.
It is best to consult a doctor with any questions about taking senna.

Senna is a natural laxative made from the leaves and fruit of the Senna plant. Senna is an herb. The leaves and the fruit of the plant are used to make medicine. It is used to treat constipation and also to clear the bowel before diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy. Senna is effective as a laxative for constipation. Senna tea has been marketed as a constipation treatment and a “detox” tea.