Senna is largely known as a laxative and has been used in India for more than a thousand years as such. It performs its role by smoothing the muscles of the intestines, allowing the smoother movement of digested food from the stages of digestion to its release as stool. It may take about twelve hours for senna, of whatever form, to take in effect. So, it is best taken before bedtime.
Today, it is the main ingredient of natural stool softeners that you could pick out from over the counter. You can even find the undiluted root version in some health stores if you want more and dare to increase the concentration in your medicine. The herbal plant, cultivated and harvested in many tropical countries may also be ingested in the form of a bitter tea.
Senna’s medicinal ingredient is extracted from the plant’s leaves or pods. However, it is not recommended for everyone, and the very softening effect that it produces can backfire and cause diarrhea.
What are its other medicinal uses?
As mentioned, senna is mainly a laxative. Its other medicinal uses are also focused on the gastrointestinal system, with its capabilities to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and hemorrhoids. It treats IBS by stopping the rapid interchanging between constipation and diarrhea, at least for the time that the medication is being taken. The patient should then make sure to not develop any dependency on senna and develop the partaking of healthier diets. Hemorrhoids are left to heal thanks to the patient being able to release their stools with minimal effort.
Can you use senna (cassia angustifolia) to treat anal fissure?
You may also use senna (cassia angustifolia) to treat anal fissure in the same way that you treat diarrhea with the use of the herb. Because you do not have to strain when you are taking a bowel movement, the affected area does not get irritated further. This helps facilitate the fast healing of the anal fissure. Senna as a drug is also often prescribed by doctors to women who had just given birth. Those who had given birth by normal delivery will be relieved that they do not have to suffer hard stools passing as the vaginal and anal areas may still be recovering from giving birth.
Is senna safe to use as alternative treatment?
Senna is safe to use as long as you take the recommended dosage. For unregulated or pure dosages of senna leaves or pods, you may only take 0.6 to 2 grams daily. Take note that medically approved drugs, such as Senokot are only taken in by a few mg at a time, just enough to soften the stools but not to start diarrhea. It is, however, still not recommended to simply give this to an infant and a pregnant or lactating woman. Senna should also not be used if the patient has Chrohn’s disease, appendicitis, ulcerative colitis, and appendicitis.
Senna may not directly treat anal fissures but it can be used to prevent the further aggravation of the affected area by preventing constipation.
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