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Dietary supplement

Senna 450 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Answer

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Senna 450 mg is a dietary supplement by Nature's Answer with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for short-term constipation relief, bowel cleansing before procedures, occasional irregularity.Based on those ingredients, 140 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Senna. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: senna, a natural plant-based stimulant laxative. It works by speeding up movement through your bowels to promote a bowel movement.

The capsule also contains inactive ingredients — vegetable cellulose, rice flour, and calcium silicate — which are fillers and binders.

Does it work?

Strong evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Senna's overall clinical evidence instead.

Strong

Strong clinical evidence supports Senna for:

Why this rating?
  • The label markets general wellness (“Promotes digestive health”), not a specific health condition, so there is no single claim to grade against clinical-evidence data.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Constipation — rated "Likely Effective" (Natural Medicines).
  • On file: Bowel preparation — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

Senna is likely effective for treating constipation. It's possibly effective for bowel preparation (cleaning out the bowel before medical procedures).

The evidence for senna's use in high potassium (hyperkalemia) isn't reliable enough to rate.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Senna

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Senna is generally well tolerated when you use it short-term and occasionally in the right dose. Most common side effects are mild — abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, gas, nausea, and urgency.

Rare serious effects include skin reactions like rashes and blistering. Very heavy or long-term overuse can cause more severe problems like finger clubbing and muscle weakness (tetany).

Senna is not meant for daily long-term use without a doctor's okay. It's considered acceptable short-term under medical guidance.

We don't have pregnancy or breastfeeding safety data on file for this ingredient — talk with your pharmacist or doctor before use if you're pregnant or nursing.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Senna

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Senna.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; heart-rhythm medications.
  • For scale: 140 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you start senna, check with your pharmacist if you take warfarin or another blood thinner (Moderate risk), diuretics or water pills (Moderate risk), digoxin or other heart medications (Moderate risk), or estrogen-based birth control or hormone therapy (Moderate risk). Avoid combining it with other stimulant laxatives.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with strong clinical evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Senna works well for short-term constipation relief, but it's not a daily habit. If you take a blood thinner, water pill, heart medication, or birth control, check with us first.

Don't use this long-term without your doctor's say-so.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Apr 25, 2019.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Senna 450 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Answer
Barcode (UPC) 083000163302
Net contents 90 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Apr 25, 2019
DSLD ID 184849
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
UPC/BARCODE
083000163302
IngredientAmount% DV
Senna450 mg--

Other ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Rice Flour, Calcium Silicate

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Brand IP Statement(s)

Discover Nature's Answer and trust the Difference... The True Nature of Our Standards goes way beyond the herb...

Discover Nature's Answer

2017 Nature's Answer

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Seals/Symbols

Gluten Free

K Parve

Formula

K Parve

Cassia angustifolia

Notice: This product contains Senna (Cassia angustfolia).

General Statements

Since 1972 Promotes Digestive Health

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Formulation

Gluten-Free

Vegan

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take one (1) capsule once a day with food or water. If needed, may increase to three (3) capsules per day, or consult with your healthcare practitioner.

Precautions

Notice: This product contains Senna (Cassia angustfolia). Read and follow directions carefully. Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain because Senna may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health.

Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea or if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

Do not use for more than 7-10 days.

Warning: Keep out of reach of children.

Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. If you are planning any medical procedure, consult with your healthcare practitioner before use.

General

18330 Rev. 417

See for yourself

Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Senna

Interacts with
140 drugs
450 mg per serving

Senna is a plant-based stimulant laxative that is widely used and generally effective for short-term relief of constipation. It is best used occasiona...

Senna monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Rice Flour, Calcium Silicate. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Senna 450 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
140Drugs
140 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Senna 140

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Senna 450 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Senna5 drug types · 140 drugs

Digoxin (Lanoxin)

Theoretically, senna might increase the risk of adverse effects when taken with digoxin.
Overuse/abuse of senna increases the risk of adverse effects from cardiac glycosides, such as digoxin, due to potassium depletion.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Diuretic Drugs

Theoretically, senna might increase the risk of hypokalemia when taken with diuretic drugs.
Overuse of senna might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss and increase the risk for hypokalemia.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Estrogens

Theoretically, taking senna may interfere with the absorption of exogenous estrogens.
Some preliminary clinical evidence suggests that senna reduces the absorption of estradiol and decreases serum concentrations of estrone and estrone sulfate by decreasing intestinal transit time.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Stimulant Laxatives

Theoretically, senna might increase the risk for fluid and electrolyte loss when taken with other stimulant laxatives.
Senna is a stimulant laxative; concomitant use with other stimulant laxatives might compound fluid and electrolyte loss.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Theoretically, excessive use of senna might increase the effects of warfarin.
Senna has stimulant laxative effects and can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can increase the effects of warfarin, increase international normalized ratio (INR), and increase the risk of bleeding. In one case report, excessive use of senna for 3 weeks resulted in diarrhea, bloody stools, and an elevated INR of 11.9.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Senna 450 mg, from the product label.

Nature's Answer

See all Nature's Answer products
Name
Nature's Answer
Street Address
85 Commerce Drive
City
Hauppauge
State
NY
ZipCode
11788
Phone Number
(800) 439-2324
Web Address
www.naturesanswer.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer: Common Questions

Does Senna 450 mg by Nature's Answer interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Senna 450 mg has a known interaction with 140 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Senna 450 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
How does senna work?
Senna is a stimulant laxative — it speeds up movement through your bowels to trigger a bowel movement. It's most commonly used for short-term constipation relief.
Can I take senna every day?
No. Senna is safe for short-term occasional use, but it's not meant for daily long-term use without medical guidance. Talk to your doctor if you need it regularly.
What are the most common side effects?
Abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, gas, nausea, and urgency are typical. These usually fade once you stop. Rare serious effects like skin rashes can occur with heavy use.
Is senna safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
We don't have pregnancy or breastfeeding safety data for senna on file. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor to see if it's right for you in these situations.
Can senna affect my birth control?
Possibly. Senna may interfere with how much estrogen your body absorbs from birth control pills or hormone therapy, which could lower their effectiveness. Ask your pharmacist before combining them.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Senna 450 mg is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Senna 450 mg label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Senna 450 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 42 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Senna 42 references
  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  3. American Academy of Pediatrics. The transfer of drugs and other chemicals into human milk. Pediatrics 2001;108:776-89. PubMed
  4. Nusko G, Schneider B, Schneider I, et al. Anthranoid laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia: results of a prospective case control study. Gut 2000;46:651-5. PubMed
  5. Seybold U, Landauer N, Hillebrand S, Goebel FD. Senna-induced hepatitis in a poor metabolizer. Ann Intern Med 2004;141:650-1. PubMed
  6. Vanderperren B, Rizzo M, Angenot L, et al. Acute liver failure with renal impairment related to the abuse of senna anthraquinone glycosides. Ann Pharmacother 2005;39:1353-7. PubMed
  7. Xing JH, Soffer EE. Adverse effects of laxatives. Dis Colon Rectum 2001;44:1201-9. PubMed
  8. Prior J, White I. Tetany and clubbing in patient who ingested large quantities of senna. Lancet 1978;2:947. PubMed
  9. Langmead L, Rampton DS. Review article: herbal treatment in gastrointestinal and liver disease--benefits and dangers. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2001;15:1239-52. PubMed
  10. Joo JS, Ehrenpreis ED, Gonzalez L, et al. Alterations in colonic anatomy induced by chronic stimulant laxatives: the cathartic colon revisited. J Clin Gastroenterol 1998;26:283-6. PubMed
  11. Godding EW. Laxatives and the special role of senna. Pharmacology 1988;36:230-6. PubMed
  12. van Os FH. Anthraquinone derivatives in vegetable laxatives. Pharmacology 1976;14:7-17. PubMed
  13. Sondheimer JM, Gervaise EP. Lubricant versus laxative in the treatment of chronic functional constipation of children: a comparative study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1982;1:223-6. DOI
  14. Perkin JM. Constipation in childhood: a controlled comparison between lactulose and standardized senna. Curr Med Res Opin 1977;4:540-3. PubMed
  15. Shelton MG. Standardized senna in the management of constipation in the puerperium: A clinical trial. S Afr Med J 1980;57:78-80.
  16. [No authors listed] Senna in the puerperium. Pharmacology 1992;44:23-5. PubMed
  17. Passmore AP, Davies KW, Flanagan PG, et al. A comparison of Agiolax and lactulose in elderly patients with chronic constipation. Pharmacology 1993;47:249-52. PubMed
  18. Passmore AP, Wilson-Davies K, Stoker C, Scott ME. Chronic constipation in long stay elderly patients: a comparison of lactulose and a senna-fibre combination. BMJ 1993;307:769-71. PubMed
  19. MacLennan WJ, Pooler AFWM. A comparison of sodium picosulphate ("Laxoberal") with standardised senna ("Senokot") in geriatric patients. Curr Med Res Opin. 1974;2:641-7. PubMed
  20. Kittisupamongkol W, Nilaratanakul V, Kulwichit W. Near-fatal bleeding, senna, and the opposite of lettuce. Lancet 2008;371:784. PubMed
  21. Prather CM. Pregnancy-related constipation. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2004;6:402-4. PubMed
  22. Werthmann WM Jr, Krees SV. Quantitative excretion of Senokot in human breast milk. Med Ann Dist Columbia 1973;42:4-5.
  23. Hagemann TM. Gastrointestinal medications and breastfeeding. J Hum Lact 1998;14:259-62. PubMed
  24. Faber P, Strenge-Hesse A. Senna-containing laxatives: excretion in the breast milk? Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 1989;49:958-62.
  25. Faber P, Strenge-Hesse A. Relevance of rhein excretion into breast milk. Pharmacology 1988;36 Suppl 1:212-20. PubMed
  26. Duncan AS. Standardized senna as a laxative in the puerperium; a clinical assessment. Br Med J 1957;1:439-41. PubMed
  27. Stickel, F. and Schuppan, D. Herbal medicine in the treatment of liver diseases. Dig.Liver Dis. 2007;39(4):293-304. PubMed
  28. BALDWIN, W. F. CLINICAL STUDY OF SENNA ADMINISTRATION TO NURSING MOTHERS: ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS ON INFANT BOWEL HABITS. Can.Med Assoc.J 9-14-1963;89:566-568. DOI
  29. Sonmez, A., Yilmaz, M. I., Mas, R., Ozcan, A., Celasun, B., Dogru, T., Taslipinar, A., and Kocar, I. H. Subacute cholestatic hepatitis likely related to the use of senna for chronic constipation. Acta Gastroenterol.Belg. 2005;68(3):385-387.
  30. Beuers, U., Spengler, U., and Pape, G. R. Hepatitis after chronic abuse of senna. Lancet 2-9-1991;337(8737):372-373. PubMed
  31. Lim, A. K., Hooke, D. H., and Kerr, P. G. Anorexia nervosa and senna misuse: nephrocalcinosis, digital clubbing and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Med J Aust. 1-21-2008;188(2):121-122. PubMed
  32. McLaughlin, A. F. Anorexia nervosa and senna misuse: nephrocalcinosis, digital clubbing and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Med J Aust. 9-15-2008;189(6):348. PubMed
  33. Soyuncu, S., Cete, Y., and Nokay, A. E. Portal vein thrombosis related to Cassia angustifolia. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2008;46(8):774-777.
  34. Levine, D., Goode, A. W., and Wingate, D. L. Purgative abuse associated with reversible cachexia, hypogammaglobulinaemia, and finger clubbing. Lancet 4-25-1981;1(8226):919-920. PubMed
  35. Malmquist, J., Ericsson, B., Hulten-Nosslin, M. B., Jeppsson, J. O., and Ljungberg, O. Finger clubbing and aspartylglucosamine excretion in a laxative-abusing patient. Postgrad.Med J 1980;56(662):862-864. PubMed
  36. Lewis, S. J., Heaton, K. W., Oakey, R. E., and McGarrigle, H. H. Lower serum oestrogen concentrations associated with faster intestinal transit. Br.J Cancer 1997;76(3):395-400. PubMed
  37. Lewis, S. J., Oakey, R. E., and Heaton, K. W. Intestinal absorption of oestrogen: the effect of altering transit-time. Eur.J Gastroenterol.Hepatol. 1998;10(1):33-39. PubMed
  38. Vilanova-Sanchez A, Gasior AC, Toocheck N, et al. Are Senna based laxatives safe when used as long term treatment for constipation in children? J Pediatr Surg 2018;53(4):722-7. PubMed
  39. Cogley K, Echevarria A, Correa C, De la Torre-Mondragón L. Contact Burn with Blister Formation in Children Treated with Sennosides. Pediatr Dermatol 2017;34(2):e85-e88. PubMed
  40. Coskun Y, Yuksel I. Polyethylene glycol versus split high-dose senna for bowel preparation: A comparative prospective randomized study. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020;35(11):1923-1929.
  41. Haoudar A, Chekhlabi N, El Kettani C, Dini N. Acute Hepatitis and Pancytopenia in a Child With Chronic Abuse of Senna. Cureus 2021;13(1):e12436. PubMed
  42. Irazábal B, Sánchez de Vicente J, Galán C, et al. Anaphylaxis Due to Senna (Cassia angustifolia). J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2021;31(1):71-73. PubMed

See these in context on the Senna monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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