What are the side effects of senna?

Senna leaves can promote diuresis, reduce swelling, inhibit bacteria and reduce inflammation. However, it should be noted that senna leaves must not be taken for a long time, because it can easily cause some side effects, such as causing malignant changes in blood pressure, or causing gastrointestinal bleeding and other serious effects.

1. Senna leaves are the dried leaves of the narrow-leaved or pointed-leaved senna plants of the leguminous family. They have the effects of clearing heat and relieving stagnation, promoting water flow and reducing swelling, inhibiting bacteria and inflammation, relieving spasms and promoting bile secretion. Since its main ingredients are anthraquinone glycosides and flavonoid derivatives, long-term use will cause certain adverse reactions. Here are some side effects of senna.

2. Malignant changes in blood pressure: Elderly patients may experience headaches and frequent vomiting, a sharp rise or fall in blood pressure, or even shock after taking senna leaves. They can recover after stopping the medication and receiving symptomatic treatment.

3. Addiction: Constipated patients who have taken senna for a long time will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it, which include irritability, insomnia, anxiety, general discomfort, even pain or crawling sensation, dilated pupils, hot flushes on the face, anorexia, fever, yawning, rapid breathing, increased blood pressure, weight loss, etc.

4. Gastrointestinal bleeding: Patients experience severe upper abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored liquid and black stools.

5. Nervous system poisoning reaction: manifested as facial numbness, dizziness, incontinence or itching, and varying degrees of pain reduction in the trigeminal nerve distribution area.

6. Jaundice: Symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, fever, yellow urine, yellow sclera, enlarged liver and spleen, decreased hemoglobin and significantly increased urobilinogen.

7. Others: such as congestion of pelvic organs; taking the medicine during menstruation or pregnancy may cause menorrhagia or intrauterine bleeding; epileptic seizures, allergic reactions, acute urinary retention, etc.