Ayurvedic Herb

Senna (has a safety note)

SanskritSvarnapatriBotanicalSenna alexandrina (syn. Cassia angustifolia)Also calledIndian senna, Alexandrian senna, Tinnevelly senna, Markandika, Sonamukhi

Golden-green leaflets brewed into a short-term evening tea, known in Ayurveda as svarnapatri, a strong herb for occasional bowel sluggishness.

* Safety note: A stimulant laxative for short-term use only; read the cautions before use. Read the cautions

Senna, leaf

Senna leaflets dry to a soft golden green, which is where the Sanskrit name svarnapatri, golden leaf, comes from. Steeped, they make a thin, grassy, faintly bitter tea. This is not a sipping herb. Senna is one of the best known stimulant laxatives in the world and is still an ingredient in many over-the-counter products.

The plant came to India through Arabic medicine and appears in later Ayurvedic texts such as the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu under names like markandika. There it is described as pungent, bitter and heating, a herb that moves vata downward and helps clear excess pitta through the bowel. Ayurvedic practitioners pair it with warming carminatives like ginger and fennel to soften its griping, and keep it to short, occasional use.

Ayurvedic Properties

RasaTastes
  • Pungent
  • Bitter
  • Sweet
ViryaHeating or cooling
Heating
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Neutral for agni

Senna works on the bowel rather than the appetite, so it is not used to kindle digestion.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Dry
  • Sharp
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: increases in excess
  • Pitta: decreases, in moderation
  • Kapha: decreases, in moderation
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Senna moves vata downward and helps carry excess pitta out through the bowel, but its dry, sharp quality can leave vata more depleted if it is used often. Ayurveda sees it as an occasional helper, softened with ginger or fennel, never a daily tea.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support bowel regularity on an occasional, short-term basis.
  • Traditionally used to support virechana, the gentle downward clearing of excess pitta, under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner.
  • Traditionally used to support the downward movement of vata, apana vayu, when the bowel feels stuck.

How People Use It

  • TeaFor occasional use only, steep 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried leaf in a cup of just-boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drink it at bedtime; it usually works within 6 to 12 hours. Do not use it for more than a few days in a row, or longer than a week, without your doctor's advice.
Try This

Gentle Senna Tea with Fennel and Ginger

An occasional bedtime cup, softened with warming seeds the way Ayurvedic practitioners suggest.

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried senna leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 1 thin slice fresh ginger
  • 1 cup just-boiled water
  1. Place the senna, fennel and ginger in a mug and pour the water over them.
  2. Cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. A shorter steep gives a milder cup.
  3. Strain and sip warm at bedtime, with a glass of water alongside.
  4. Use it only now and then. If you find you need it for more than a few days, stop and talk with your doctor.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Senna is a stimulant laxative for short-term use only. Do not take it for more than one week unless your doctor advises it. Long-term or high-dose use can cause dependence on laxatives and damage to the bowel.
  • Do not give senna to children unless a doctor recommends it.
  • Do not use senna if you have abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, a bowel blockage (intestinal obstruction), appendicitis, or an inflammatory bowel condition such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
  • Senna can cause cramping, diarrhea and loss of fluids and electrolytes, especially potassium. Low potassium is dangerous with heart medicines such as digoxin and with water pills (diuretics), corticosteroids and licorice root. Talk with your doctor if you take any of these.
  • Cases of liver injury have been reported, usually after high doses taken for months (NIH LiverTox). Stop and see your doctor if you notice dark urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or unusual tiredness.
  • Avoid senna during pregnancy and while breastfeeding unless your doctor or midwife approves it; it can pass into breast milk and loosen a baby's stools.
  • Constipation that lasts more than a week, or any sudden change in bowel habits, should be checked by a doctor. Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using senna.

In Our Shop

Organic Senna Leaf

Organic Senna Leaf, from $4.75. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

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Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.