Senokot

What is Senokot?

Senokot is a laxative used for the short-term treatment of occasional constipation. Because everyone is different, what this means can vary from person to person. But generally, occasional constipation is when your stools are difficult to pass or you have fewer than three stools in a week.

How does Senokot work?

Senokot belongs to a group of medications called stimulant laxatives, also known as stimulants or contact laxatives. It contains natural Alexandrian and Tinnevelly Senna fruit (pods), equivalent to 7.5mg of sennosides, the active ingredients responsible for the laxative activity. These sennosides contain a sugar group, which is removed by bacteria in your gut to release the active compound, rhein anthrone.^[1]

Senokot works in two ways to provide relief from constipation:

1. It stimulates peristalsis, meaning that it increases the movement of your digestive system and helps to move food through your colon quicker.
2. It stops water and electrolytes (like sodium and chloride) from being absorbed (called an antiabsorptive effect), while encouraging more water and electrolytes to be secreted into your colon (called a secretagogue effect). This leads to increased amounts of fluid and electrolytes in your gut.

What forms of Senokot are there?

Senokot is available in different forms, all of them taken by mouth. Senokot tablets come under different names: Senokot 7.5mg Tablets and Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult. Both products contain Senna fruit equivalent to 7.5mg sennosides. The main difference between the two products is that Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult is not licensed to be used by people under 18. For this reason, Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult are available over the counter, while the other tablets are only available with a prescription.

There’s also Senokot Max Strength Tablets 12 Year Plus and Senokot Max Strength Tablets Adult. These contain Senna fruit that is equivalent to 15mg sennosides, so double the amount of the 7.5mg tablets.

If you’re not keen on swallowing tablets, there’s also Senokot 7.5mg/5ml Syrup 12 Years Plus, suitable for children over 12 and adults. It contains calcium sennosides and it’s available without a prescription.

How to take Senokot

It’s always best to follow your clinician’s instructions on how to use Senokot, but here are some guidelines you can take into account:

• Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water at night before you go to bed.
• Don’t chew, break or crush them. You can take them with or without food.
• Take one or two tablets a day, as your clinician has advised you to. The maximum dose you can take in one day is 30mg (four Senokot 7.5mg tablets).

Don’t take other drugs within two hours of taking Senokot, since it can influence their absorption in your body.^[1]

How long does it take for Senokot to work?

Senokot takes between 8 and 12 hours to relieve constipation. This gives your body the time it needs to “process” the medication. During this process, the active ingredients called sennosides are carried to your large intestine. There, they transform into their active form known as rhein anthrone.

What is the best time to take Senokot?

Because it takes between 8 and 12 hours to work, it’s best to take Senokot at night, before going to bed. This way, you’ll likely experience its effects in the morning when you use the bathroom. You can also use Senokot during the day if needed. But keep in mind you might need to wake up at night for a trip to the bathroom.

How many Senokot should I take?

Your clinician will tell you how many Senokot tablets to take and adjust your dose based on your symptoms and medical history. Typically, you should take one or two Senokot 7.5mg tablets a day, with the maximum dose being four tablets per day (30mg).

You shouldn’t use Senokot tablets for longer than one to two weeks, unless you’re under strict medical supervision. If the symptoms persist or worsen while using Senokot, you should speak to your clinician. It’s possible that they may need to make changes to your treatment.
H3 – What should I do if I make a mistake while taking Senokot?
If you miss a dose of Senokot tablets, just take your next pill according to your schedule. Don’t try to make up for the missed dose by taking two pills at once.

If you accidentally take too many Senokot tablets, you might experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• A lazy bowel due to overly relaxed gut muscles, leading to persistent constipation.
• An imbalance in body water and electrolytes, hindering proper gut muscle contractions.
• Reduced potassium levels in your blood, leading to muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness and irregular heartbeats.
• Dehydration, causing thirst, faintness, headaches and difficulty with urination.

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor or seek medical attention straight away. And take any remaining tablets or the pack with you, if possible.