Senna is a natural herb commonly used for its laxative properties. It is an ingredient in several commercial laxative products such as Ex Lax and Senokot. Senna leaves and pods contain compounds called anthraquinones, which are powerful laxatives. Anthraquinones are classified as stimulant laxatives. They work by aggravating the lining of the lower intestinal tract and causing contractions that give us the “need to go” and expel waste. Anthraquinones also absorb more water, producing softer stools that facilitate evacuation. Senna laxatives can take 6 to 12 hours to work.
Senna should not be used for more than seven consecutive days unless under the care of a physician. Overuse can cause lax bowel syndrome, which makes your body forget how to produce a bowel movement on its own without the use of more laxatives. Do not use senna or other anthraquinones if you have hemorrhoids, blood vessel disease, stomach ulcers, diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or any inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal disorders.
Dried senna has an extremely bitter and unpleasant taste. It can also cause painful intestinal cramps due to muscle contractions. It is recommended to combine stimulating herbs such as senna with other tasty ones such as mint, ginger, fennel and licorice. In addition to giving senna a more pleasant taste, it relaxes the intestines, decreases the effects of cramps, and makes senna more tolerable to take. Senna can be found in capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, and dried root. There are also food recipes that contain senna that can “get you going.”
Senna and plums
Boil one ounce of senna leaves gently in one liter of water. Strain the leaves and simmer the liquid with a pound of prunes until all or most of the liquid has been absorbed. Eat one to three prunes every two to three nights.
Senna Bars
In a food processor mix the following ingredients:
12 oz. grapes
12 oz. dates
12 oz. plums
8 oz. figs
2 oz. senna leaves or ground senna (in health food stores).
Spread into a greased 8 “x 12” skillet and press into mixture, about an inch deep. Top with graham cracker crumbs. Cut into 1 x 1 inch bars. Try 1 bar a day to start. You may be able to reduce it to 1/2 bar later. The bars can be frozen.