Senna (Senna alata).Plant Part Used: Leaf, flower.Dominican Medicinal Uses: Leaves: decoction, orally, for blood-cleansing, infection, diarrhea, parasites; topically as a wash for skin disease and paño.Safety: Considered safe for therapeutic use when administered appropriately; relatively low toxicity shown in animal studies; avoid prolonged or excessive use.Contraindications: Intestinal obstruction, gastro-intestinal inflammatory disease, anal prolapse, hemorrhoids, pregnancy, lactation, children < 12 y, abdominal pain or appendicitis of unknown origin.Drug Interactions: Diuretics, cardiac glycosides.Laboratory & Preclinical Data: In vivo: bovine dermatophilosis treatment (leaf extract).In vitro: anti-inflammatory (leaf extract), antimicrobial (leaf and bark extracts), platelet aggregation inhibition (leaf constituent).* See entry for Guajabo in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.
Health Encyclopedia