What is a Natural Vegetable Laxative?
Senna has been been used for centuries to help treat constipation. Crude senna is derived from Cassia acutifolia or Cassia angustifolia plants, commonly called senna plants. Today, you can find senna (containing laxatives called sennosides) as an active ingredient in all Senokot® Laxatives.
The sennosides in Senokot Laxatives are standardized using a process which was pioneered by The Purdue Frederick Company. Standardization means that modern scientific techniques were applied to ensure the same amount of sennosides in each type of Senokot Laxative in every bottle, every time. Senna standardization assures consistent potency and, thus, predictability.
Centuries of Use
The use of senna as a laxative seems to have originated in Egypt more than 3,500 years ago. In fact, references to its use go back to the days of the pharaohs and it is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, which documents medicines used to treat Egyptian royalty.
Not until the 1940’s were methods found for biological and chemical assay of the components of the Cassia acutifolia or Cassia angustifolia plants, as well as the means to process the senna plant to produce standardized senna concentrate.
The standardized senna in Senokot Laxatives is the product of these assay techniques. Ever since the standardization of this vegetable derivative more than fifty years ago, Senokot Laxatives have been used clinically worldwide.
How Senokot® Laxatives work
The standardized senna in Senokot Laxatives is arrived at by an exacting process.
First, the seed pods of the senna plant are picked at maturity.
Then, the seeds, stems and leaves are removed and only the pods, which contain no harsh impurities, are ground to a fine powder.
Next, the senna powder is standardized to assure consistent potency, and a high degree of predictability and reliability for each type of Senokot Laxative. In other words, each type of Senokot Laxative contains the same amount of sennosides, also known as senna glycosides.
The current understanding of how senna works suggests that when a person takes Senokot Tablets or Senokot Syrup the senna glycosides are transported to the intestinal colon. Here they are transformed into aglycones by the enzymes normally found in the colon.
Within the colon, senna aglycones stimulate a nerve network called Auerbach’s plexus. This action sets off a series of wave-like contractions called peristalsis, resulting in a comfortable bowel movement.
Why Use Senokot® Products
When constipation is a concern, Senokot Natural Vegetable Laxatives can provide comfortable, overnight relief when taken at bedtime. While bulk-forming laxatives may take days to work, Senokot Laxatives usually work overnight so you can wake up to relief in the morning. Unlike some laxatives which can be harsh, Senokot Laxatives provide gentle, comfortable relief.
When hard, dry stools are a problem, consider taking Senokot-S® Tablets – a natural vegetable laxative with the stool softener, docusate sodium. The stool softener lowers the surface tension of dry fecal matter, facilitating water penetration thereby softening the stool. The combination of the standardized senna concentrate with docusate sodium softens the stool while gently stimulating movement.
The Senokot® Laxatives Comfort Promise
Senokot Laxatives use only the deseeded pod of the senna plant which contains no harsh impurities (no stems, leaves or seeds) which can cause intestinal distress. For your comfort, the active ingredient in Senokot Laxatives is always Purified Senna.
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