Leaves of Senna

Senna leaves have a laxative effect.

[1], [2]

Indications of the leaves of Senna

It is used to eliminate such problems:

• regulation of stool in people with proctitis, cracks in the rectum, and hemorrhoids;
• chronic forms of constipation, having an atonic character;
• at the stage of preparation for the surgical procedure.

Release form

The drug is released in tablets, and in addition in the form of plant raw materials, which is packed into briquettes, filter bags or packs.

[3]

Pharmacodynamics

The medicament is plant-based, it contains sennozoids that have an irritant effect on chemoreceptors of the mucosa inside the colon, and in addition reflexively intensifying intestinal peristalsis, thereby exerting a laxative effect. The drug helps restore intestinal activity in the development of constipation. Adapting from his reception does not develop.

The leaves of Senna contain a small amount of resinous elements, so that the drug does not have a strong irritant effect on the mucosa (this distinguishes it from buckthorn or rhubarb). The drug effect is observed after a lapse of 8-10 hours. The medication is well tolerated.

[4],

Pharmacokinetics

Sennosides are not absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract. They undergo a process of cleavage inside the large intestine, and later they form sennidines, which are transformed under the influence of bacterial reductases into active decomposition products (re-entantrons).

Most of the substance is excreted through the intestine (90%). The residue is absorbed and metabolized inside the liver, and then excreted through the intestine with the kidneys, which causes the urine to acquire a red or yellowish-brown hue.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]

Dosing and administration

Senna leaves with constipation take in the form of tinctures or broths, or in tablets. The degree of laxative effect is determined by the size of the dosage: taking 2-4 grams of LS causes a laxative effect, and the use of 5+ g is a laxative.

Preparation of broth.

To prepare the broth, you should take 2 tablespoons (5-10 g) herbal collection and pour them with hot water (1 glass). Then the liquid is heated on a water bath (for half an hour), after which it should be insisted until it completely cools. Then in the filtered broth add water to reach a volume of 0.2 liters.

Drink the medicine should be half a glass, after dinner, at night. The volume of the drink tincture is allowed to be reduced if the laxative effect is too strong, and painful urges and painful sensations in general develop on its background.

This course lasts a maximum of 21 days.

Application of filter packets.

When using the herbal collection of filter bags, it is required to take 4 such bags and pour them with boiling water (1 glass). Then the liquid is insisted for 15-20 minutes and squeezed. The resulting volume is adjusted to 0.2 liters with plain water.

Drink the drug should be in the evening, half a cup.

Use of tablets.

The intake of senna extract in this dosage form is carried out this way: adults use 1-2 tablets of medicines at night, and the entire course lasts a minimum of 4-30 days.

Children aged 1-3 years give 0.5 tablets of Senadex at bedtime, and children of age 4-12 years - for the first pill. In the absence of a chair in the morning should increase the size of the portion. It is required to select a minimum portion, which will stabilize the stool. In this case, children are not allowed to exceed the dosage equal to 2 tablets. After selecting the optimal portion, it should be kept for a maximum of 7 days, and then gradually reduced - for ¼ tablets at intervals of 3 days.

[12],

Use of the leaves of Senna during pregnancy

It is forbidden to prescribe the drug to pregnant women.

Contraindications

Among the contraindications:

• a hernia of the restrained type;
• abdominal pain, having an unknown nature;
• spastic form of constipation;
• disorders of the processes of water metabolism;
• intestinal obstruction;
• bleeding from the uterus or gastrointestinal tract;
• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
• cystitis.

[10], [11]

Side effects of the leaves of Senna

The use of the drug may lead to the development of certain side-effects:

• abdominal pain;
• diarrhea;
• allergy symptoms;
• bloating;
• colitis (as a result of prolonged reception).

Overdose

Intoxication manifests itself in the form of a disturbance of water-electrolyte balance and diarrhea.

To remove violations, it is required to carry out symptomatic measures.

[13], [14], [15]

Interactions with other drugs

Medications containing senna leaves, weaken the absorption of tetracycline.

[16]

Storage conditions

Senna leaves should be kept in standard for medicinal conditions, at a temperature of a maximum of 25 ° C.

[17], [18],

Shelf life

Senna leaves are allowed to be used for 3 years from the date of manufacture of the medicinal product.

[19], [20]

Analogues

Analogues of the drug are such drugs as the senna extract produced in tablets, and in addition Tisasen and Senadexin.

Reviews

Senna leaves are often used as a laxative. Most patients say that in the case of proper selection of a portion, you can achieve a regular stool, which has a gruel shape, which occurs without painfully painful urges and other painful sensations. Also, many note the convenient form of drugs - tablets or tea bags. The stool is often stabilized 3-4 days after the beginning of the application.

The appointment of laxatives of vegetable origin to children has some disadvantages - because of the complexity of calculating the indices of active anthraglycosides. As a result, you may develop side effects or an overdose. Therefore, children are more often prescribed tablets (such as Tisasen or Senadexin).

If we talk about cases when the drug was used as a means for losing weight, then the reviews are quite different. Thanks to the reception of tea or decoction from this herbal collection it is possible to achieve relaxation of the stool and to speed up the removal of food masses from the intestine, and the food itself is poorly absorbed. But the plant itself does not affect metabolism, and obtaining a result in the form of weight loss is highly doubtful (users write about it on forums). Often with the same purpose, the drug is used uncontrollably and for a long time. All this eventually leads to the loss of potassium (electrolytes), the emergence of proteins with erythrocytes inside the urine, the development of colitis, accompanied by atrophy in the muscular mucosa, and besides the deposition of melanin in the intestinal mucosa.

It is necessary to take into account that long-term use of drugs can cause the development of hepatotoxicity and intestinal atony, against which a constipation in chronic form is formed.