Skip to page content Skip to site menu

Wild Senna

Image of Wild Senna
This image of senna comes from Leonhart Fuchs’s De historia stirpium commentarii insigne written in 1542. This book is available in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.

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. 

This image of senna comes from Leonhart Fuchs’s De historia stirpium commentarii insigne written in 1542. 

Latest Research

  • Laxative use and acute kidney injury risk: Analysis of a Japanese hospital-based database
    by Satoru Mitsuboshi on March 10, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Although a potential association between laxative use and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) has been proposed, it remains inadequately investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the association between the use of each laxative and the risk of developing AKI. Data were obtained from the JMDC hospital-based administrative claims database, covering the period from April 2014 to August 2022. Laxatives were defined as lubiprostone and linaclotide (secretory…

  • Preclinical evaluation of Senna alata leaf extract against Hymenolepis diminuta: a promising natural anthelmintic solution
    by Saptarshi Roy on February 10, 2026 at 11:00 am

    CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potent antiparasitic effects of S. alata against H. diminuta in a rodent model. The alcoholic leaf extract of S. alata, particularly at 1000 mg/kg, exhibits strong antiparasitic efficacy against H. diminuta, alongside notable improvements in host hematological and organ function parameters. Its non-toxic nature reinforces its potential as a safe, natural anthelmintic, warranting further exploration for therapeutic applications.

  • Quality of Bowel Preparation in the General Population
    by Melanija Ražov Radas on January 28, 2026 at 11:00 am

    Background 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 system
    by 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 metabolism
    by 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…

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)  

Roots of Medicine Created by Cohhe. Proudly powered by WordPress