In this article we will introduce you to the rules for taking one of the most popular laxatives, Senade.
Constipation is a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements for various reasons (illness, diet, stress, physical inactivity, side effects of medications). Constipation is when you have bowel movements less than three times a week.
Senade is a medicinal product containing natural ingredients intended to correct the abnormal rhythm of gastrointestinal emptying.
Dosage form, composition and packaging
The drug is available in tablet form.
Round brown tablets with ridges and beveled edges contain the active substances senosides A and B from Senna aquifolia leaf extract, 13.5 mg, and additional ingredients:
- starch - carbohydrate;
- lactose;
- cellulose;
- talc;
- magnesium stearate;
- sodium lauryl sulfate;
- cellulose gum;
- methyl parahydroxybenzoate.
Senade is contained in a cardboard box containing 20 tablets in one foil strip. One package may contain 40, 60 or 500 tablets.
Country of origin: India.
Pharmacological properties
The cleansing effect of Senade is due to its effect on the mechanoreceptors of the colon located in the mucus layer. As a result of their mechanical irritation, the impulse is transmitted to the smooth muscle elements of the colon wall, which leads to increased peristaltic activity.
The strength, amplitude and duration of bowel movements increase. The intestines are emptied as a result of muscle contractions. Senade does not affect the consistency of the stool, cleansing is unchanged, the stool is hard.
Keep in mind that senade does not have a diuretic effect, as many people think about using it for weight loss.
After taking Senade tablets, the effect occurs within 8 hours. It is at this time that senade is transported through the gastrointestinal tract, in the large intestine senade activates sensitive mechanoreceptors, which in turn causes stool to remain in the intestine, causing defecation.
Pharmacokinetics
Senade is practically not absorbed through the gastrointestinal mucosa; its bioavailability is 5%.
Having reached the lumen of the colon, Senade is hydrolyzed to free anthraquinones under the action of enzymes of beneficial intestinal microflora. The main part is excreted in feces and a small amount through the kidneys.
Pharmacological properties
The mechanism of action of the drug is reduced to stimulating intestinal motility. After entering the stomach, its active substances freely penetrate into the intestines. There, bacteria break them down into biologically active components. It is they who have an irritating effect on the mucous membrane of the organ, as a result of which they stimulate motility and accelerate the process of release of feces.
Biologically active components prevent the body from absorbing water. Free fluid is retained in the intestines. Therefore, the density of feces decreases significantly. This also contributes to their accelerated release. This way the intestines are cleansed.
The components of the drug are metabolized in the liver and leave the body through the excretory system.
After taking the tablet, the laxative effect appears within 10-12 hours.
However, the time depends on the dose taken. The larger it is, the faster the process of defecation occurs. To speed it up, the instructions recommend drinking 2-3 glasses of warm, lightly salted water.
Indications for use
Senade is a laxative that increases intestinal motility, so the indication for its use is atonic bowel movements in the following situations:
- Hypotonic (low tone) or atonic (lack of tone) constipation due to insufficient activity of the intestinal peristaltic muscles.
- Lack of urge to defecate, feeling of intestinal fullness;
- Absence of functional constipation caused by sedentary work, low physical activity, stress, climate change, poor nutrition.
- Regulation of stool for proctitis, hemorrhoids, paraprocytic inflammation, anal fissures.
- Excess weight to reduce its short course.
- How to prepare the intestines before ultrasound, x-ray and endoscopic examinations of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity.
Relief from constipation - proper nutrition
At any age, the problem of constipation is easier to prevent than to treat. Proper nutrition and inclusion of foods that are healthy for digestion in your diet will help normalize intestinal function and the state of microflora. You need to eat more vegetables and fruits, cereals, as they contain a lot of fiber and complex carbohydrates, which help increase intestinal motility. For snacks for the same reasons, it is ideal to choose dried fruits and nuts.
Depending on the type of constipation, doctors may prescribe a special diet, but a universal dish for better bowel movements is considered to be “grater” salad, for the preparation of which you need to take 1 part of grated carrots and beets for 3 parts of shredded white cabbage. It is better not to add salt and spices to this salad, but you can sprinkle the vegetables with lemon juice and olive oil. All cabbage dishes of any variety help normalize intestinal function. At the same time, it is desirable to reduce the fat content of all dishes and products as much as possible.
Contraindications for use
Contraindications to taking Senade are situations in which it is impossible to stimulate intestinal motility:
- Acute abdominal pain of unknown etiology is a contraindication to the use of Senade.
Absolute:
- History of adverse reactions to components of Senade (lactose).
- Constipation due to increased intestinal tone (spastic).
- Intestinal obstruction (obstruction, intussusception).
- Acute abdominal pain of unknown etiology (“acute abdomen”).
- Raising the white line of the abdomen, inguinal in the impact stage due to increased intra-abdominal pressure as a result of taking Senade.
- Inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract (ulcerative colitis, appendicitis, Crohn's disease, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis and others): Inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis).
- Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
- Inflammation of the bladder, ureters.
- Renal colic, biliary colic.
- In the period after operations on the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space;
Indications and prohibitions for admission
The summary advises taking Senade:
- during constipation associated with weak peristalsis and hypotension of the colon;
- for hemorrhoids;
- cracks in the anal area;
- proctitis.
The medicine is used when it is necessary to regulate stool or to facilitate the evacuation of stool.
Senade is contraindicated in patients:
- with strangulated hernia;
- spastic type constipation;
- painful sensations in the abdomen of unknown etiology;
- inflammatory pathologies of the peritoneal organs;
- bladder infections;
- deviations in electrolyte-water balance;
- bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract and uterus.
The medication is prohibited for patients with individual intolerance to the component composition. Senade is not prescribed to pregnant and lactating women, people with liver or kidney pathologies, or during the rehabilitation period after abdominal surgery.
Instructions for use
Adults and adolescents over 12 years of age should start Senada with 1 tablet at bedtime or 30 minutes before meals with at least 1/2 cup of liquid.
Take daily for three days.
If you do not have a bowel movement within three days after taking Senade, you should also add half a tablet for three days.
According to this scheme, in the absence of stool, the dose of Senade can be increased to three tablets per day, but no more.
If constipation does not improve after taking the maximum dose, it is recommended to consult a doctor for a health check. Senade is not recommended for use for two or more weeks in a row due to possible side effects.
Reception during pregnancy and lactation, in children
Due to the spastic contraction of the intestinal walls under the influence of Senade, it is not advisable to take it to stimulate stool during pregnancy.
If Senade is still prescribed, the tablet should be taken with plenty of liquid to soften the stool and require less pressure.
In this case, the duration of constipation should not be more than 2 days. If you are breastfeeding, you should avoid taking Senade as anthraquinone is excreted in breast milk and may cause diarrhea in infants.
From the age of six, Senada is allowed. The initial dose is ½ tablet, preferably in the evening before bedtime, with a glass of water. If there is no effect within one day, you can add another half dose at night.
The maximum permissible dose is two tablets per day. If there is no laxative effect after taking this dose, consult your pediatrician. For children twelve years of age and older, the prescription regimen for Senade corresponds to the instructions for adults.
Its use is not recommended for children under 6 years of age.
Admission in old age
In patients of this age group, constipation is often caused by functional disorders caused by low physical activity, insufficient fluid and fiber intake. The intestinal wall relaxes and becomes atonic.
Due to the fact that Senade is practically not absorbed into the blood, no dose adjustment is required for older people.
Taking Senade for impaired renal and liver function
When using Senade in this category of patients, due to the risk of electrolyte and water imbalance, caution should be exercised and the concentration of potassium, creatinine, urea, sodium, ALT, and AST in the blood should be monitored.
Use in childhood
For children over 6 years old with constipation, this drug is prescribed at night, the dosage is ½ tablet per day. If there is no laxative effect, the daily dose should be increased to 1 capsule. The maximum daily dose for children is 2 tablets.
Children should start taking the drug with a minimum dose of 0.5 tablets. But for prolonged constipation, the child can be given 1 tablet at once. If a child took the maximum dose of the drug for 2 days (2 tablets), but no effect occurred, then you should immediately contact your pediatrician.
Side effects
As a rule, side effects develop only with long-term use of Senade in high doses and usually disappear when the drug is discontinued without symptomatic treatment:
- Colic-type pain in all parts of the abdomen.
- Flatulence, nausea, vomiting, profuse and frequent loose stools.
- Dehydration, muscle weakness, arrhythmias due to low sodium and potassium levels.
- The appearance of protein and blood in the urine, change in urine color.
- Muscle cramps, loss of strength, mild disturbance of consciousness.
- A skin rash may appear.
- Hypotension is a drop in blood pressure.
- Deposition of melanin in the intestinal wall.
Interaction with other drugs and alcohol
When using Senade with antiarrhythmic drugs (verapamil, digoxin, strophanthin, Egilok, Concor, Betaloc ZOK, carvedilol, anaprilin), it is necessary to monitor electrocardiographic parameters due to the possibility of reducing the level of potassium in the blood and, as a result, increasing the effect of antiarrhythmic drugs.
People taking long-acting medications should be aware that this effect may be reduced when taken together with Senade.
During treatment with Senade, alcoholic beverages should be avoided due to increased dehydration during long-term treatment of constipation.
The absorption of tetracyclines in combination with Senade is delayed.
Price on Senade, where to buy
Price Senade 13.5 mg 20 pcs. - about 25 rubles.
Large package of Senade 13.5 mg 500 pcs. can be purchased at an average price of 500 rubles.
- Online pharmacies in RussiaRussia
- Online pharmacies in UkraineUkraine
- Online pharmacies in KazakhstanKazakhstan
ZdravCity
- Senade tablets 13.5 mg 500 pcs Cipla
550 RUR order
Pharmacy Dialogue
- Senade tablets 13.5 mg No. 500 Cipla Ltd.
RUR 566 order
- Senade tablets 13.5 mg No. 20Cipla Ltd.
26 RUR order
show more
Pharmacy24
- Senade 13.5 mg N500 tablets Cipla Ltd.,India/ at virobn.Mediteb Specialties Pvt.Ltd.,India
363 UAH.order
PaniPharmacy
- Senade tablets Senade tablets. 13.5 mg No. 500 India, Meditab Specialties
356 UAH. order
show more
Harm from Senade
Harm from taking Senade can only be expected after more than two weeks of use or if you prescribe medications on your own without examining the digestive tract and without finding out the cause of the intestinal problems:
- Loss of beneficial electrolytes: calcium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium and sodium.
- loss of water reserves;
- with prolonged use, addiction may develop;
- abdominal pain, increased gas formation, vomiting, nausea, albuminuria, hematuria, drop in blood pressure, various types of impaired consciousness, skin rash, convulsions, muscle weakness.
What to do if you overdose on Senade
First aid for poisoning in children is to drink water, i.e.
it is necessary to replenish the loss of fluid, but gradually, so as not to cause vomiting. You should call an ambulance as soon as possible; the baby may need intravenous infusion of saline solutions. Dehydration occurs earlier in children and has much worse consequences than in adult patients.
If the child is apathetic, lethargic, and his tongue is dry, then measures must be taken urgently. Prolonged diarrhea in a baby is a serious signal.
What to do if Senade is poisoned? The main stage in treatment is visiting a doctor, since it is sometimes difficult to restore the water-salt balance on your own. The specialist must be told in detail, describe the symptoms of poisoning, indicate the dose and duration of taking the tablets.
We recommend: Zyrtec overdose - symptoms and first aid for children and adults
If the victim feels well, you can fight dehydration yourself. Treatment includes taking fluids in the form of Essentuki mineral water, saline solutions (Regidron), and dried fruit compote. The total amount of liquid taken per day should be more than 2 liters.
special instructions
Senade does not limit the ability to drive vehicles, therefore it is allowed for drivers and people whose activities require increased attention to operate devices while on the move. However, possible individual intolerance should be taken into account.
If you take Senade for more than fourteen days, you can expect side effects.
If, as a result of taking the maximum permissible daily dose of Senade, this applies to both adults and children, the laxative effect does not occur, stop taking Senade and discuss further tactics with your doctor, possibly due to other causes of constipation.
During treatment with Senade, your urine may turn yellow-brown.
Pregnancy and lactation
Pregnancy is a special period in the life of any woman. Most medications can harm both the baby and the mother. Various physiological changes also occur during this period. As a result, problems with stool may occur.
How to use the medicine during pregnancy and lactation? The medicine can be used during pregnancy, but only with the permission of a doctor, who will determine the appropriate dosage. Do not take the drug yourself under any circumstances without the help of a doctor!
It is especially not recommended to take the drug if constipation continues for more than 2 days. The likelihood of miscarriage will increase significantly.
Taking Senade for weight loss
Often people use laxatives to lose weight, thinking that they help eliminate the food they have eaten.
You should know that absorption occurs in another part of the intestine (small intestine).
Laxatives act in the thick section, where only water and various toxins remain from substances that enter the body with food, and fats, carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed much earlier.
As for Senade, this drug, according to the recommendations of nutritionists for weight loss, should be taken no more than 1-2 tablets 2 times a week.
Therefore, with long-term - more than two days in a row and frequent use of Senade, dehydration and homeostasis may be disrupted.
Pros and cons of losing weight with Senade
“FOR” taking Senade for weight loss:
- cleansing the intestines at the beginning of the weight loss process;
- Combine taking Senade with regular physical activity and diet;
- Weight loss by approximately 2-3 kilograms after a single dose;
- Use Senade 1-2 times for 7 days, not more often and after overeating;
- establishing a bowel movement rhythm.
CONS of taking Senade for weight loss:
- Daily use is not possible due to the risk of side effects;
- loss of beneficial electrolytes: calcium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium and sodium. Their deficiency can cause serious harm to the body (arrhythmia, seizures, nervous exhaustion, kidney failure).
- loss of water reserves, which can lead to symptoms of dehydration;
- taking them for more than two weeks does not lead to weight loss, but only harms the body and is addictive;
- It is undesirable to take medications on your own without taking into account existing contraindications and without the supervision of a nutritionist or gastroenterologist.
How to take Senade tablets
There are specific as well as general rules for using medications. The medicine can be used to prevent various diseases and for treatment. It can also be used to treat certain symptoms of the disease.
The use of the drug depends on the form the patient takes. Taking the medicine is more beneficial in the form of injections or in tablet form.
For constipation
How to use Senade for constipation, how many tablets are needed to get the effect? The exact dose can be prescribed by a gastroenterologist based on the clinical picture of the condition after making an accurate diagnosis. The time after which the desired effect occurs is approximately seven hours.
Accordingly, the medicine should be taken before bed - in the morning the problem with constipation will be solved. The standard dosage for one-time relief of constipation is one tablet.
How to take constipation pills correctly? It doesn’t matter if the tablet was taken before or after a meal - the effect in both cases will be the same. Usually the tablets are washed down with a small amount of boiled cool water.
For weight loss
It is no secret that women like to use such medications for weight loss. Many people are worried about how to take this weight loss drug correctly. However, the idea that laxatives cause severe weight loss is false.
When taking laxatives, weight loss of several kilograms occurs due to the removal of feces and fluid from the intestines. But it is worth noting that you will not be able to get rid of excess weight in the body by taking this drug.
However, many people use this drug several times a day, 1 tablet before meals, to lose weight by cleansing the intestines of toxins. If there is no effect 7 hours after taking the medicine, the dose should be slightly increased. Please note that more than 3 tablets cannot be taken at the same time. A colon cleansing course takes on average 2-3 days.
This laxative will help you lose weight only in special cases:
- if a person has been on a protein diet for a long time, the fact is that there is not enough fiber in her diet (you need to take the drug 2 times, 1-2 tablets per week),
- if it is necessary to cleanse the intestines before starting a multi-day diet in order to get rid of extra pounds,
- after numerous festive feasts, accompanied by severe overeating.
Some ladies, in pursuit of an ideal figure, go to all sorts of tricks. The fact is that along with feces, liquid also leaves the intestines. Thus, the reduction in kilograms will be noticeable on the scale. But this is only a one-time result.
There may be an effect, but further weight loss will not continue. And if you often take the medicine unnecessarily, then the problems will really start. You should consider this before putting your health at risk.
Senade tablets for constipation will not help in the following cases:
- Won't burn fat.
- Will not speed up metabolism.
Thus, women must understand the most important thing: it is impossible to lose weight with this drug. It can only be used as an adjuvant. It is especially good to use it with a long-term protein diet. Foods low in fiber can cause problems with the intestines and stool, and only in this case this medicine will come to the rescue.
Sometimes it happens that with a long-term diet, the weight stops decreasing and just stops. Women in this situation try to fight it, but everything remains the same. In this case, you are allowed to cheat and use the drug for weight loss. However, under no circumstances should you neglect the use of this drug!
Senade for constipation for the elderly
If the patient suffers from gastrointestinal pathologies, which in theory could cause internal bleeding, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist before taking the drug.
So how should older people take anti-constipation medication? The instructions say that it is permissible to reduce the dosage of the drug for patients aged with low body weight - for them it is permissible to take half a tablet. If this was not enough, the second time it is allowed to increase the dosage to one tablet.
If there are diagnoses such as diabetes, polyps or obesity, patients need to be careful when taking the drug. The fact is that these diagnoses are very serious and it is recommended to discuss this issue with your doctor before taking medications.
As for obesity, there is no need to increase the dosage because of it. The presence of diabetes often does not prevent the use of the drug. However, polyps in the intestines are a contraindication to taking laxatives, so you should seek medical help.
Analogs
On the pharmaceutical drug market you can find several analogues of the pharmacological action (reflex irritation of the intestinal muscle structure) of the drug Senade, both Russian and imported:
- Bisacodyl in the form of suppositories and tablets. Made in Russia. This is not a vegetable drug, but a synthetic drug, it has more side effects. Price 23 rubles. Its analogue Dulcolax has a price of 230 rubles.
- Isafenin is an unnatural drug, the effect occurs later (after 10-12 hours), in the form of a powder with the smell of acetic acid, it is rarely prescribed due to the lack of indications. Price 20 rub.
- Phenolphthalein, known as purgen, is not prescribed in medical practice due to a host of side effects (on the kidneys, carcinogenic effects).
- Guttalax drops are a synthetic drug based on sodium picosulfate. Manufacturer Germany. Cost 200 rub. Not recommended for everyday use. Its analogues: Guttasil (manufacturer Ukraine, cost 200 rubles);
- Laxilene (manufacturer Russia, cost 120 rubles);
- Laxigal (manufacturer Czech Republic, cost 150 rubles);
- Slabicap (manufacturer Russia, cost 40 rubles).
There are also drugs identical in composition (contain sleepy leaf) to senade tablets, so they are “synonyms”:
- Glaxen tablets, cost 85 rubles;
- Regulax - chewing cubes, cost 250 rubles;
- Senadexin - tablets, cost 20-30 rubles;
- Sleepy extract, cost 60 rubles;
- Bekunis - chewable lozenges contain sennosides. Cost 170 rub.;
- Chewable lollipops anthrazenin, cost 20 rubles;
- Ex-Lax - chewing lollipops, cost 130 rubles.
Reviews on Senada
After analyzing multiple reviews of the pills on the Internet, we came to the conclusion that the drug acts quite mildly, but in case of an overdose, the stomach hurts very badly and the body quickly dehydrates, so you should approach the selection of your personal dose with caution. However, there is no clear indication for use; to find out how many tablets to take, you need to select the quantity individually.
Also, different people said differently about how long it takes for Senade to work. Most often it was said about 8-10 hours, but it also happened that the drug began to act after just a few hours. In any case, it is almost impossible to guess how many hours the drug takes to work, so it is recommended to refrain from urgent matters after taking it in order to avoid awkward situations.
Studying the reviews of doctors, we can come to the conclusion that another disadvantage of this laxative is addiction, which occurs quite quickly - within three months from the start of use. After this, the intestines refuse to work without this drug.
Some have tried using Senade tablets for weight loss. At the same time, they note how to take the drug for these purposes - half an hour before meals, before each meal. However, when taking Senade for weight loss, the reviews are not the most positive, which is associated with addiction to the drug, so it should be used for no more than two weeks.
