Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Senna The Safety Factor
Senna’s powerful action means it should not be used by those with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, such as ulcers, colitis, or hemorrhoids.
Pregnant and nursing women should not take senna. Senna should never be used for more than two weeks because over time it causes lazy bowel syndrome, which is an inability to move stool without chemical stimulation.
Large amounts of senna cause diarrhea, nausea, and severe cramps with possible dehydration.
Long-term use may cause enlargement of the fingertips (clubbing). An article in Lancet described this effect in a woman who had taken up to 40 senna laxative tablets a day for years. Her fingers returned to normal when she stopped using the herb.
Senna leaves may cause a skin rash in sensitive individuals.
Other Cautions
The Food and Drug Administration considers senna an herb of “undefined safety.” For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, senna is considered relatively safe when used only occasionally in amounts typically recommended.
Senna should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If senna causes cramping, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Rare in the United States
Senna is not a garden herb in the United States. It’s a small, woody shrub that reaches 3 feet and has branching stems, pointed leaves, and seeds encased in a leathery pod. The species generally used in herbal medicine is grown in the Tennevelly region of India, near the subcontinent’s southern tip. One species grows in the eastern United States, however.