Coffee Senna

Generic name: Cassia Occidentalis, Senna Occidentalis
Brand names: Ant Bush, Arsenic Bush, Bana Chakunda, Coffeeweed, Fedegoso, Mogdad Coffee, Negro-coffee, Nigerian Senna, Rubbish Cassia, Senna Coffee, Septicweed, Sickle Pod, Stephanie Coffee, Stinking Pea, Stinking Weed, Styptic Weed

Usage of Coffee Senna

Traditionally, coffee senna has been used as a diuretic, laxative, and blood purifier. It has also been used for treatment of hemorrhoids, rheumatism, gout, type 2 diabetes, whooping cough, convulsions, heart disease, snakebite, asthma, and the flu.Duke 2002

Antianxiety/Antidepressant activity

Animal data

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of coffee senna leaves have demonstrated antianxiety and antidepressant effects. In one study, rats and mice were given 500 mg/kg of either ethanolic or aqueous leaf extracts and then examined via swim and tail suspension tests. Rats and mice treated with the extracts had similar response times to those treated with diazepam and fluoxetine, with the ethanolic extract demonstrating more significant activity than the aqueous extract.Shafeen 2012

Antibacterial activity

In vitro data

An ethanolic extract of the roots of coffee senna was tested for antibacterial activity. When the compound emodin was identified and isolated, it demonstrated inhibitory effects against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.Chukwujekwu 2006

Anticonvulsant activity

Animal data

The anticonvulsant activity of chloroform, alcoholic, and aqueous extracts of the entire coffee senna plant has been studied in rats. The chloroform extract was the most effective against electric shock and pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions, with anticonvulsant activity similar to phenytoin.Mahanthesh 2016

Antidiabetic activity

Animal data

In a study evaluating the antidiabetic effects of an ethanolic extract of coffee senna (100 and 200 mg/kg) in rats, the extract caused a decrease in blood sugar levels in normal rats and in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes. Treatment also restored growth of inlet cells in pancreatic tissue of diabetic rats.Verma 2010

Anti-inflammatory/Analgesic activity

Animal data

The wound healing effects of coffee senna have been studied in mice with skin wounds induced using snake venom. C. occidentalis leaf material was extracted using 95% ethanol. Mice were treated with the extract incorporated into a topical cream base for 7 or 14 days. The extract produced a decrease in inflammation and aided with wound healing, suggesting potential use as a treatment of snakebite.Delmut 2013

The antinociceptive and antipyretic effects of coffee senna have been studied in mice. Ethanolic and water extracts of the leaves demonstrated dose-dependent effects on reduction of fever and pain-blocking tendencies at a dose of 300 mg/kg.Sini 2010

CNS effects

Because coffee senna lacks caffeine, the typical CNS effects of caffeine are not applicable.

Laxative effects

Clinical data

Coffee senna has been explored mainly as a laxative and preparative bowel cleanser for colonoscopies and surgeries and is available as nonprescription preparations. In one study, a Cassia senna preparation (X Prep [Sarget]) given prior to elective colorectal surgery was associated with significantly more effective intestinal cleanliness than polyethylene glycol.Valverde 1999 Another study demonstrated that use of senna solution (SennaS [Purdue Pharmaceuticals]) with docusate decreases time to first bowel movement in patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery and also reduces need for magnesium citrate.Patel 2010

Coffee Senna side effects

There are no reported adverse reactions.

Before taking Coffee Senna

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

How to use Coffee Senna

Dosage recommendations for coffee senna exist only for use as a laxative. The recommended dosage for sennosides in adults is 8.6 to 17.2 mg orally twice daily.(Hughes 2018) It should be noted that various forms of senna are available, and dosing is not equivalent across the doseforms. Dosing for sennosides is not equivalent to dosing with other forms of senna (eg, senna extract). Caution should be used and package labeling should be consulted to ensure correct product-specific dosing.

Warnings

Consumption of anthraquinones from C. occidentalis seeds has been shown to be toxic in children and can cause hepatomyoencephalopathy. This effect does not appear to occur in adults, but has not been fully studied.Panigrahi 2015, Vashishtha 2009

What other drugs will affect Coffee Senna

None well documented.

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