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Senega is the dried root of the Polygala senega, In 1911, it was official in the British and United States pharmacopoeias. Senega contains an active principle, saponin. Senega is used chiefly as a stimulating expectorant in chronic bronchitis. It is occasionally used as a diuretic in renal dropsy. It is a cardiac depressant, and is contra-indicated in diseased conditions of the heart. It has a tendency to upset the digestion, and is therefore only used in combination with other drugs in what are termed expectorant mixtures. It was formerly used as an antidote for snake bites.
Dosage and Administration
Senega is usually taken orally in dosages equivalent to 0.5-1 gram of the powdered root.1
Toxicology
Saponins are shown to be very irritating and haemolytic. Taken orally these adverse effects seem to be bypassed. Caution should be taken if a sensitivty does exist or if taken at high doses. The most common adverse side effects are nausea and vomiting.1
External links
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
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