Senna
Senna alexandrina
A stimulant laxative from the leaves and pods, recognized in Europe for short-term relief of occasional constipation.
Safety at a glance
- Pregnancy1 note →
- Breastfeeding1 note →
- Medicines1 note →
- Who should avoid it1 note →
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
Senna may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.
What is Senna?
- Plant family
- Fabaceae, the pea and bean family
- Parts used
- The leaves and pods
- Genus
- Senna
- Species
- alexandrina
Older scientific names
Cassia senna, Cassia angustifolia
Traditionally used for
- Occasional constipation (short-term)
Traditionally described as
- Stimulant laxative (anthraquinones)
Health topics
Where Senna appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- Constipation
Recognized in Europe, based on scientific evidence, for short-term relief of occasional constipation, for no more than a week.
How it's prepared
Common ways Senna is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.
- Extract
Standardized leaf preparations are taken by mouth as tablets or liquids, usually once at night.[1]Health agency
- Tea / Infusion
The dried, cut leaves are sold as an herbal tea, standardized to a set amount of their laxative compounds.[2]Health agency
Safety
Interactions with medicines
Talk to a doctor before using senna if you take heart medicines such as digoxin, medicines for heart rhythm or that affect the heart's QT interval, water pills, steroid medicines (corticosteroids) or licorice root. Long-term overuse can lower potassium, which strengthens the effect of digoxin and affects heart rhythm medicines.[1]Health agency
Who should avoid it
Don't use senna if you have:
- A blocked or narrowed gut, or a gut that isn't moving
- Appendicitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
- Stomach pain with no known cause
- Severe dehydration
It must not be used by children under 12.[1]Health agency
Side effects
Senna can cause stomach pain, cramps and watery stools, especially in people with irritable bowel syndrome or if the dose is too high. Long-term use can upset the body's water and salt balance and darken the lining of the bowel. It may turn urine yellow or red-brown, which is harmless. Allergic rashes and itching can occur.[1]Health agency
Pregnancy
Don't use senna during pregnancy, because lab data suggest some of its compounds (such as emodin) may damage genes.[1]Health agency
Breastfeeding
Don't use senna while breastfeeding: small amounts of its active compounds pass into breast milk.[1]Health agency
How much to use
Use senna for no more than 1 week; two or three times in that week is usually enough. Using stimulant laxatives for longer can damage how the bowel works and make you dependent on laxatives. If you need a laxative every day, see a doctor to find the cause.[1]Health agency
What does the research say?
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
Senna contains anthraquinones, compounds that stimulate the bowel to move. They also change how the gut absorbs water and salt, so the stool holds more water and passes more easily.[2]Health agency
Research in people
Based on scientific evidence from at least 10 years of use in Europe, the European Medicines Agency recognizes senna leaf for short-term relief of occasional constipation in adults and teens over 12. It should only be used if changing your diet or taking a fiber laxative hasn't worked.[1]Health agency
In a 2021 trial of 90 adults with long-term constipation, mostly women, senna taken for 28 days improved symptoms in 69% of people, compared with 12% on a placebo. It worked about as well as magnesium oxide, another laxative, and improved quality of life.[3]Study
In short
Use for no more than a week. Not for pregnancy, breastfeeding or children under 12.
Sources
- [1] European Union herbal monograph on Senna alexandrina Mill. (Cassia senna L.; Cassia angustifolia Vahl), folium, Revision 1 — European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)Government health agency
- [2] Senna leaf: summary for the public (EMA/697536/2018) — European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)Government health agency
- [3] Senna Versus Magnesium Oxide for the Treatment of Chronic Constipation: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial · DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000000942Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.