Wild Senna
Wild Senna (Cassia hebecarpa)
Cassia hebecarpa is an herbaceous perennial legume that can grow as tall as 6 feet. It grows in the eastern part of North America, from Ontario to Georgia. It is mostly found in areas with moist soils, but it can also occasionally be found in drier locations. Senna varieties are found all over the world, but many of their medicinal properties are similar. Several Senna species are widely used as laxatives, both historically and in modern medicine, due to the presence of compounds called anthraquinones (Belt, 2002). The laxative effect is derived from the leaves or fruit pods of the plant. In traditional medicines, Senna is used as a tea, an extract, or syrup. Modern uses provide the extract in pill form. (Cirillo & Capasso, 2015)
Historical Use
Historical information on the use of senna can be found in Nicholas Culpeper’s English Physician; and Complete Herbal written in 1789. The leaves of Senna (usually the Senna alexandrina/Cassia senna variety) were used as a laxative and emetic. It was also thought to cleanse the body and blood by purging “obstructions,” melancholy, and phlegm. Jacob Bigelow’s American Medical Botany highlights Cassia marilandica, a close cousin of Cassia hebecarpa. Although demonstrating similar medicinal virtues to that of Senna alexandrina, Cassia marilandica required a third more to have the same effect. Thus, Senna alexandrina was preferred and imported to America.
Latest Research
- Quality of Bowel Preparation in the General Population
by Melanija Ražov Radas on January 28, 2026 at 11:00 amBackground and Objectives: Colorectal cancer caused over 1.9 million new cases and 0.9 million deaths in 2020, ranking third in incidence and second in cancer mortality worldwide. Poor bowel preparation may hide adenomas, increasing the colorectal cancer risk. This retrospective study aims to identify differences and associations in bowel preparation quality in relation to gender, age, timing of preparation, and the type of cleansing agent used. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the quality of…
- Understanding senna risks: Evidence from the FDA adverse event reporting systemby Jingyi Zhao on January 25, 2026 at 11:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a potential link between senna use and immune system disorders, highlighting the need for careful monitoring of its safety profile in clinical practice. Further research is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these adverse reactions.
- Sennoside A alleviating cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 mice via balancing microbiome metabolismby Yulian Shi on October 27, 2025 at 10:00 am
BackgroundThe progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with constipation, potentially mediated by gut microbiota. Laxatives have shown potential in improving the cognitive function of AD, but the specific mechanism remains underexplored. Sennoside A (SA), a well-established laxative, is commonly used for treating constipation.ObjectiveThis work used SA as a probe to explore the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of laxatives on AD via the gut-brain axis.MethodsFollowing a…
- Sennosides vs magnesium hydroxide vs polyethylene glycol as a treatment for constipation in anorectal malformation: a randomized crossover trialby Butsarin Nate-Anong on August 26, 2025 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: While PEG showed a trend towards better fecal clearance and Sennosides was preferred by users, no statistically significant differences in efficacy or user preference were found among the three laxatives.
- Comparison of Various Diet Regimens Involving Sennoside for Bowel Cleansing Prior to Colonoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trialby Hilmi Bozkurt on May 30, 2025 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: Patients using cost-effective Senna for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy can safely consume low-fiber foods on the day before the procedure. In the present study, a clear diet offered no benefit over a more comfortable and better-tolerated diet in terms of colon cleanliness.
References
Belt, S. (2002). Wild Senna Plant Guide. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_sehe3.pdf
Cirillo, C., & Capasso, R. (2015). Constipation and Botanical Medicines: An Overview. Phytother Res, 29(10), 1488-1493. doi:10.1002/ptr.5410
Other Resources
Natural Medicines record: Senna (Access to UI only)