Senna leaves is a popular herbal medicine used to treat constipation and other digestive issues. Senna comes from a large group of flowering plants in the legume family, and extracts or teas made from these plants have been used for centuries in traditional medicine.
Senna originally grew in Egypt but is now cultivated in many parts of the world, including India and Somalia. Most commercial senna products come from Cassia acutifolia or Cassia angustifolia, also known as Alexandrian and Indian senna.
Today, senna is most commonly consumed as a tea or taken as a supplement to relieve constipation. However, it can also be used occasionally for other digestive issues like diarrhoea or gas.
Table of Contents
About senna leaves:
- The leaf of the plant Senna alexandrina Mill is called a "senna leaf" by people in general (Cassia senna L.; Cassia angustifolia Vahl).
- The HMPC's conclusions are about senna leaf preparations, which are made by drying and chopping the leaves into small pieces. You can also put the dried, crushed leaves in a solvent (like ethanol) to dissolve the compounds and make an extract. All preparations of senna leaf are standardised so that they all have the same amount of anthraquinones. Anthraquinones are chemicals that are linked to the activity of senna leaf.
- Herbal medicines made with senna leaf are usually available as herbal tea to drink or as solid or liquid pills to swallow.
- In some herbal medicines, Senna leaf preparations may also be mixed with other herbal substances.
How is senna tea used?
- The most common way to use senna tea is to get your bowels moving and relieve constipation.
- Senna glycosides, also called sennosides, are the main substances that make senna leaves work. Sennosides can't be taken in by your body, but the bacteria in your gut can break them down.
- This breakdown of sennosides slightly irritates the cells in your colon, which speeds up the movement of your intestines and makes you go to the bathroom.
- Many popular over-the-counter laxatives contain senna as an active ingredient. Most people will have a bowel movement 6–12 hours after taking it.
How to make senna tea at home?
You can easily prepare Senna Tea at home to help with constipation, however, don't take more than the recommended daily dose of 15–30 mg. Don't drink the tea for a long time either. To make the tea, steep 1 to 2 grams of dried senna leaves in hot water for up to 10 minutes. Strain into a cup and sweeten to taste with your favourite sweetener. Do not drink it more than twice in one day. Before adding senna to your daily diet, you should always check the amount of the herb in a herbal tea blend that has it.
Health benefits of senna leaves:
Treats constipation:
Senna Tea is mostly used to relieve constipation and make bowel movements happen more often. Sennosides or senna glycosides are the names for the active ingredients in senna leaves. They can't be broken down by our digestive system; only the bacteria in our gut can do that. But the process of lightly breaking them down irritates the colon and has a laxative effect, which makes you go to the bathroom 6 to 12 hours after eating them. Because of this, senna is used as an ingredient in a number of over-the-counter medicines for constipation.
Relieves Hemorrhoid Discomfort
Senna is a great way to ease the pain that comes from haemorrhoids. This disease causes the veins and tissues in the lower part of the rectum to swell up, causing itching, pain, and even bleeding. Constipation that lasts for a long time can make haemorrhoids worse, so senna tea is often recommended to ease the pain. Some people drink senna tea before a colonoscopy to get their bowels ready.
MORE FROM BLOG
Top Collections
Difference Between Nonstick and Stainless Steel Kitchen Cookware
2 Items
Non-stick cookware guide: How to buy a high-quality cookware
2 Items
Top 5 Stainless Steel Cookware To Buy On Dhanteras
2 Items
Does cast iron make food taste better?
2 Items
Delicious desserts to make your Christmas sweeter
2 Items
Leave a comment