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Senna Drug Interactions

If senna is taken with digoxin, warfarin, or certain other medications, drug interactions could occur. Overuse of senna laxatives could cause problems for people taking digoxin and diuretics. There are reports that the laxative may also increase the risk of bleeding due to warfarin. In order to help prevent interactions with senna, you should tell your healthcare provider about all other medications you are taking.

Potential Drug Interactions With Senna

Even though it is a natural product, senna can potentially interact with a few different medications. Some of these medicines that may lead to senna drug interactions include:
 
  • Digoxin (Digitek®, Lanoxin®)
  • Some diuretics, such as:

 

 

Senna Interactions Explained

The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when senna is combined with any of the drugs listed above.
 
Digoxin
Overuse of senna laxatives could cause problems for people taking digoxin. Overuse of laxatives can lead to potassium depletion, which increases the risk of dangerous digoxin side effects. It is probably a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before taking senna and digoxin together, although occasional, short-term use of senna is not expected to cause significant problems.

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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