Senega root

Senega root is a plant whose root is used to make medicine. Senega root is used to treat inflammatory swellings in the throat, nose and chest, lung diseases including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, as well as rattlesnake bites. It is also used to stimulate sweating, increase salivation, loosen phlegm and cleanse the bowels. Some people use senega root in the form of a gargle solution for sore throats.

How does senega root work?

Chemicals contained in senega root irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach, which leads to the production of larger amounts of lung secretions. This could explain why senega root acts as an expectorant. Expectorants loosen mucus and make it easier to cough up.

How effective is senega root?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of senega root for asthma, bronchitis and inflammatory swellings in the throat, nose and chest, as well as its use as an expectorant.

Further scientific studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of senega root in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Senega root is considered safe and harmless for short-term oral use. Long-term use may not be safe and harmless. Senega root may cause stomach irritation, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

There is insufficient information regarding the safety of using senega root on the skin or as a gargle solution.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Senega root is not safe to take orally during pregnancy. Senega root may cause contractions of the uterus and induce menstruation. These effects could lead to miscarriage.

There is not enough information available to say whether senega root products applied to the skin are safe and harmless during pregnancy, so pregnant women should avoid using them.

There is also not enough information on whether senega root products taken orally or applied to the skin while breastfeeding are safe and harmless, so it is best to avoid senega root products while breastfeeding.

Fever: Senega root can affect the central nervous system and should therefore not be used by people suffering from fever.

Diseases of the stomach and intestines including ulcers, ulcerative colitis and Cohn's disease: Senega root should not be used if you suffer from one of these diseases as it can irritate the intestines.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of senega root with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of senega root depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to be able to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for senega root. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.