Description
Senna is known as a ‘stimulant laxative’. It acts on nerve endings in the gut wall. These nerves then make the muscles in the intestine contract with more force and more often. When the gut contracts, it moves the contents along faster, and so it reduces constipation. As senna increases the activity of the muscle in the gut, it often causes stomach cramps.
Senna is given by mouth and takes 8-12 hours to work.
Please note that results vary from person to person.
Drug Safety Update: measures for stimulant laxatives.
Stimulant laxatives should only be used if other laxatives (bulk-forming and osmotic) are ineffective. Children younger than 12 years should not use stimulant laxatives without advice from a prescriber and clinical guidance should be followed.
Uses / Instructions
For oral use only.
Adults, the elderly and children over 12 years:
One to Two 5ml spoonfuls at night.
Not to be given to children or adolescents under the age of 12 years.
Do not take more medicine than the label tells you to.
New users should start with the lowest dose and increase it to the maximum dose for each age group, if necessary, by one half of the initial dose each day.
Once regularity has been regained dosage should be reduced and can usually be stopped.
If there is no bowel movement after 3 days, or if symptoms persist, in particular if you have persistent abdominal pain or are passing blood, consult your doctor.
Not to be used for more than 1 week.
Usually it is sufficient to take this medicinal product up to two to three times during that week
Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If any of the following or any other side effects occur, stop taking this medicine and consult a doctor or pharmacist:
- abdominal pain, spasms and diarrhoea, in particular these effects may be experienced by patients with irritable colon. In these cases, a reduction in dose may be necessary.
- hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions, hives (skin bumps), skin itchiness or local or more widespread rash, or asthma, – can make you more likely to catch infections.
- chronic use may lead to albuminuria and haematuria which is albumin or red blood cells in the urine.
- yellow or red-brown discolouration of urine may occur, which is harmless – chronic use may cause pigmentation of the gastroin testinal tract which usually recedes when the product is no longer taken.
- low potassium levels in the blood leading to muscle weakness and/or cramps
- severe weight loss
- changes in the shape of the finger and fingernail, muscular spasms and inflammation of bones and joints.
Ingredients
Senna Syrup 7.5mg / 5ml containing in 5ml:
Calcium sennosides 7.5 mg
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