Infusion made from Senna leaves, raisins, ginger and cloves used as purgative.

Infusion of leaves taken daily from the fourth day after childbirth for a few days to regularize bowel movements.

Powdered Senna leaves mixed with vinegar and made into a plaster applied locally in certain skin diseases.

Senna leaves with henna (Lawsonia inermis) used as a hair-dye to make the hair black.

Fruits mixed with suitable drugs like violets used as laxative.

Infusion of 6-12 pods for adults and 3-6 pods for children and elderly prepared in cold water used as purgative.

Useful in constipation, loss of appetite, indigestion, liver complaints, abdominal troubles, splenic enlargements, dyspepsia, typhoid, jaundice, anaemia, malaria, skin diseases, leprosy, poisoning symptoms foul breath, bronchitis and tumors.

Senna has always been specifically used for constipation. It is particularly appropriate when a soft stool is required, for example in cases of anal fissure. Senna is a good short term laxative but should not be taken for more than two days as this leads to weakening of the large bowel muscles.

As a cathartic (very strong laxative), Senna can cause griping and colic, and is therefore normally taken with aromatic, carminative herbs that relax the intestinal muscles.

Senna causes mild abdominal discomfort such as colic cramps on use of high dose. Prolonged use results in diarrhoea with excessive loss of potassium. Atonie non-functioning color may also develop. Excessive and chronic use causes-finger clubbing and development of cachexia and reduced serum globulin concentration. 

To observe the toxic nature of senna, Ten Nubian goats were given oral doses of the fresh fruit and leaves of Cassia senna at 1,5, and 10gm/kg/day. Eight goats died within 30 days and two others were slaughtered in a moribund condition on day 18 and 29. The clinical signs of diarrhea, inappetence, loss of condition, and dyspnoea were well correlated with the pathological findings. There was an increase in G.O.T., ammonia, urea, and total cholesterol and a decrease in the serum of Cassia-poisoned goats. Blood sugar level was reduced and the increase in the values of Hb, PCV, and RBC was due to haemoconcentration.