Taking Senna With Other Medicines And Herbal Supplements

NHS medicines information on possible interactions with senna and other medicines, herbal remedies and supplements.

Cautions with other medicines

There are some medicines that do not mix well with senna and can change the way it works.

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these medicines before starting to take senna:

• tablets that make you pee more (diuretics)
• steroid tablets such as prednisolone
• heart medicines such as digoxin

These medicines can upset the balance of salts and minerals in your body if you have too much senna.

If you are taking digoxin, this imbalance makes it more likely you will have the serious side effects of digoxin.

Taking senna with other laxatives

For most people, 1 laxative will be enough to relieve constipation.

Occasionally, you may need to take 2 different types of laxatives at the same time to get your bowels moving again. Only take 2 laxatives together if your doctor or pharmacist recommends it, as you're more likely to get side effects.

Mixing senna with herbal remedies and supplements

Tell your doctor if you're taking any remedies containing liquorice root.

It is not possible to say if herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with senna. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.

If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.