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Senna | Cassia Angustifolia | Benefits & Uses | |
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Use of Senna Leaves | Use of Senna Pods | Use of Senna
Plant | Senna For Constipation
Senna - A Strong Laxative | Danger of Senna
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Use of
Senna Leaves
Infusion made from Senna leaves,
raisins, ginger and cloves used as purgative. Infusion
of leaves taken daily from the fourth day after
childbirth for a few days to regularize bowel
movements. Powdered Senna leaves mixed with vinegar
and made into a plaster applied locally in certain
skin diseases. Senna leaves with henna (Lawsonia
inermis) used as a hair-dye to make the hair black.
Use of Senna Pods
Fruits mixed with suitable drugs
like violets used as laxative.Infusion of 6-12 pods
for adults and 3-6 pods for children and elderly
prepared in cold water used as purgative.
Use of Senna Plant
Useful in constipation, loss of
appetite, indigestion, liver complaints, abdominal
troubles, splenic enlargements, dyspepsia, typhoid,
jaundice, anaemia, malaria, skin diseases, leprosy,
poisoning symptoms foul breath, bronchitis and tumors.
Senna For Constipation
Senna has always been
specifically used for constipation. It is particularly
appropriate when a soft stool is required, for example
in cases of anal fissure. Senna is a good short term
laxative but should not be taken for more than two
days as this leads to weakening of the large bowel
muscles.
Senna - A Strong Laxative
As a cathartic (very strong
laxative), Senna can cause griping and colic, and is
therefore normally taken with aromatic, carminative
herbs that relax the intestinal muscles.
Danger of Senna
Senna causes mild abdominal discomfort such as colic
cramps on use of high dose. Prolonged use results in
diarrhoea with excessive loss of potassium. Atonie
non-functioning color may also develop. Excessive and
chronic use causes-finger clubbing and development of
cachexia and reduced serum globulin concentration.
To observe the toxic nature of senna, Ten Nubian goats
were given oral doses of the fresh fruit and leaves of
Cassia senna at 1,5, and 10gm/kg/day. Eight goats died
within 30 days and two others were slaughtered in a
moribund condition on day 18 and 29. The clinical
signs of diarrhea, inappetence, loss of condition, and
dyspnoea were well correlated with the pathological
findings. There was an increase in G.O.T., ammonia,
urea, and total cholesterol and a decrease in the
serum of Cassia-poisoned goats. Blood sugar level was
reduced and the increase in the values of Hb, PCV, and
RBC was due to haemoconcentration.
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SENNA MAIN
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