6 Health Benefits Of Senna Leaves

In traditional medicine, senna leaves are well-known as an alternative for treating skin diseases like ringworm. Aside from that the leaves can also be used for other skin diseases and health problems.

Here we would like to share with you some of the benefits that you can gain from using the senna leaves.

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Senna Leaves, Herbal Plant From Mexico

Despite this plant being easily obtained in many parts of the world and having long been used in traditional remedies, it is a plant native to the Southern American continent of Mexico.

As of today, this herbal plant can be found in many countries around the world as it can grow on the street side or even by the beach. It has been used traditionally to treat various diseases like ringworm, insect bites, laxative, hypertension, and also worm infection.

Benefits of Senna Leaves

There are several benefits that can be obtained from the senna plant which have been proven by research previously. Some of these include:

1. Antifungal For Ringworm

If the leaves were to be boiled in water, their extract will contain ethanol and other compounds with antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Both these properties can be very beneficial in individuals with skin issues.

Due to that, the leaves are very potent in treating ringworm considering their anti dermatophyte activity which is the main cause of ringworm. Senna leaves can also be used for Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Microsporum canis.

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2. Act As Anti-Inflammation

If you experience inflammation on your skin then perhaps using these senna leaves might help ease the sensation. Senna leaves have very good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

You can try rubbing the leaves on the affected area to see its effectiveness. In one study that was conducted, senna leaves have the best content for anti-inflammation compared to four other herbs.

3. Treat Worm Infection

Generally speaking, all plants in the Cassia family have the capability of removing worms from our bodies.

But the senna plant has a much stronger effect compared to other plants in the Cassia family. The water extracts from senna leaves can be drunk to treat worm infection and this method has been used traditionally for so long.

4. Relieve Fever

Believe it or not, senna leaves can help alleviate the common fever that you have been having. This is because the water extract from the leaves is believed to have antipyretic properties meaning it can reduce the body's temperature.

Aside from that, the extract can also be used for malaria fever considering that it possesses some antimalaria property.

5. Anti-Cancer Property

Aside from skin problems and fever, the senna plant has been known to have good anti-cancer properties. It has also been proven to be effective against cancerous cells such as colon carcinoma, kidney cancer, and colorectal cancer.

The anticancer extracts obtain from senna only react toward cancer cells without harming other healthy cells in the body.

6. Act As Laxative

As stated above, senna leaves have been used traditionally as a laxative for your constipation. If you have been having this problem lately and happen to have this leaf in your house, then you can try it yourself at home.

The leaves act by promoting a peristaltic movement of the gut by stimulating the mucosal intestine. The effect is that it will help prevent constipation from happening.

This benefit is due to the sennoside compound found in the senna leaves.

Side Effects Of Senna Leaves

Everything that you take will of course have side effects and senna leaves are no exception. Some of the side effects that you may experience will be stomach discomfort, diarrhea, joint pain, bloating, change in urine color, and also damage to the intestine walls.

Not just that but it might also lead to liver damage if taken excessively.

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Warning of Use For Certain Individuals

Many health officials have made it compulsory to place specific warning labels on medication or products that contain senna leaves.

Some of them include avoiding the use of medication with senna leaves if you are experiencing joint pain, nausea or vomiting.

On top of that, the long-term use of senna leaves might lead to high dependency on the products and causes an electrolyte imbalance. For those who wish to use products containing senna leaves for more than 7 days, they will need to get the doctor's advice first to avoid any unwanted side effects.

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