fan xie ye

Name: fan xie ye
Creator: Bencao Index

番泻叶·Folium Sennae

Senna Leaf

About fan xie ye

Fan Xie Ye (番泻叶) is the leaf of senna, a legume, recorded as Folium Sennae. It is sweet and bitter in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Large Intestine channel alone. The catalogue files it among the purgatives.

Names

Pinyin	fan xie ye
Chinese	番泻叶
Latin Name	Folium Sennae
English Name	Senna Leaf
Japanese	banshayo
Korean	beon·beonsayeop

Classification

Category: Purgative
Channels: Large Intestine
Flavour: Sweet, Bitter
Temperature: Cold
Part used: Leaf
Family: Fabaceae
Species: Cassia angustifolia|cassia acutifolia
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Drains downward and guides out stagnation

Heat accumulating in the Stomach and Intestines, with constipation, abdominal fullness and distension
Habitual constipation, with great care (see cautions)

Clears Excess Heat and drains Summerheat

Summerheat

Combinations

zhi shi + hou po
Enhances its downward-draining action and its guiding out of Stagnation
huo xiang + mu xiang
Heat accumulating in the Large Intestine channel, causing constipation
chen pi
Better restores normal bowel movement while tempering its cold, colic-inducing nature

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-10g; When used alone as a tea: 1.5-3g; Tincture: 10-40 drops or 0.5-2ml	3-10 g	—	10-40 drops	—	—

Cautions

contraindication Known or suspected intestinal obstruction, ileus, or sudden abdominal pain that has not been diagnosed
pregnancy Do not use in pregnancy
contraindication During menstruation
contraindication Past episodes of heavy bleeding
lactation Do not use while breastfeeding
contraindication Weak constitution, Deficiency Cold, or elderly and debilitated patients
contraindication Chronic constipation; if it is used at all, only with extreme caution and very small amounts
caution Too high a dose shows as cramping abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
caution Easily overused: how often and for how long it is taken matter as much as the single dose
caution Constipation that persists, or comes with bleeding from the bowel, weight loss without explanation or altered bowel habits, needs to be diagnosed before any laxative is given
paediatric Children: senna is given to children in conventional medicine, but only on a clinician's prescription

Interactions

Drug interactions

Diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide) and corticosteroids: overuse of the herb adds to the potassium they deplete
Digoxin and other cardiac glycosides: potassium lost through overuse of the herb makes them more toxic
Other medicines taken by mouth around the same time: faster passage through the gut may reduce how much is absorbed
Anthraquinone laxatives such as Da Huang, Lu Hui, He Shou Wu or a senna product bought over the counter: combining them with this herb or a formula containing it doubles up the same laxative class, often unknowingly

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