subject: The Senna Herb And Modern Constipation Treatments [print this page] The herbal supplement known as senna has been used to treat constipation for many hundreds of years. The original way it was taken was probably by seeping it in boiling water to make a tea. The active ingredient are a class of molecules known as anthraquinoids, but of course modern manufacturers do not adhere to any standard of purity for the compound because senna laxative is an unregulated herbal supplement.
Senna is available in different kinds of formulations. The tea form is still available, although it may be hard to find the raw leaf if someone is interested in just chewing on the leaf. The most popular form may be the tablet or pill form which consists of dried, crushed and compressed plant matter with binder.
In addition, someone who is intent on taking senna laxative should be aware that there are reported side effects, mostly involving the gastrointestinal tract as would be expected. The side effects include severe stomach pain, diarrhea, and possibly even worsening of constipation. There is no guarantee that it will work. On the other hand the many centuries of historical use show that there is probably truth to the efficacy of this treatment.
Senna is not alone in the natural treatments for constipation that are available for use.
Actually, one of these which physicians may put forth is to increase intake of fiber. A plausible way to carry out this line of therapy is to emphasize fruits and vegetables with the most fiber content. Prunes are a great possibility, contributing not only fiber but also the sugary compound sorbitol which has been shown in some research to aid digestion.
What if taking all this fiber is inconvenient or does not work? The alternative is to give high fiber supplements a shot. Extracted from particular plant matter like the plantago, these nutritional agents come in powder mixtures and can be dissolved with liquids to form a drinkable solution. Primary care givers point out that the trial period granted for this kind of fiber-rich therapy usually demands about two weeks for its entire effectiveness to kick in.
A number of over-the-counter and semi-natural laxatives are in use by those with chronic constipation. Prime specimens of these laxatives are the osmotic laxatives which effect alterations in water absorption, and stimulant laxatives which seem to have an effect on gut smooth muscle. The compounds known as osmotic laxatives exert the effect of more water in the gut which from medical reports seems to assist in movement of intestinal contents.
