Senna is a small scrub with flattened pealike pods, delicate yellow flowers. During the ninth century Senna's powerful laxative ability became popular first in the Middle East and then to the rest of the world. Senna is an active ingredient in many brand-names laxative and herbal tea.

Therapeutic Properties of Senna:

Senna is perhaps the strongest of the herbal bowel booster. The powerful anthraquinone presence interacts with bacteria in the digestive tract to create a chemical that provokes intestinal contractions.

Uses of Senna:

• For Constipation
• Dysentery, ringworm
• During the old time it is being used for Dermatitis, Fever, Gonorrhea, Hemorrhoids, Indigestion, wounds.

Direction for use:

When constipated, 50 milligrams of a standardized supplement once or twice a day, 1/8 to ½ teaspoon of a liquid leaf extract daily, or 3 to 6 pods steeped in a cup of warm water every 6 to 12 hours. Senna's seedpods possess more constipation-relieving power than its leaves, but leaf formulations are safer. To reduce the likelihood of intestinal pain when taking senna, mix it with ginger, cloves, or mint.

Words of advise, any laxative from nature or laboratory, should be the last resort, short treatment for constipation, a consideration only when a high-fiber diet fails. Senna is a strong and more dependable laxative, but taking laxative with senna often can lead to dependency and other problems, such as cramping and loss of potassium.

Don't take senna for more than a week or so. Your body could end up relying on it to contract your bowels, ultimately worsening the original constipation problem. Don't take the herb if you have colitis, Crohn's disease, hemorrhoids, a kidney problem, a bad appendix, or any abdominal pain of unknown origin. Don't take it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The active compounds could show up in your breast milk. Ingesting senna or any other anthraquinone-containing substance could cause additional problems. According to some studies, prolong use of this herb is toxic, may promote tumor growth, can increase the risk of colon cancer. Some studies say that extended use is toxic and may promote tumor growth.