Coffee Senna vs Cassia Senna

Pantropical weed used as traditional medicine across Africa, Asia and the Americas; roasted seeds used as coffee substitute.

Annual of tropical Americas and pantropical weed; seeds used as laxative and coffee substitute; leaves used widely in traditional medicine.

anthraquinones, chrysarobin, flavonoids, oxymethylanthraquinone

anthraquinones, sennosides, emodin, chrysophanol, flavonoids

Laxative and liver conditions across tropics, Roasted seeds as coffee substitute, Skin conditions in African medicine, Used across West Africa, India and Americas

Laxative across tropics, Liver conditions in Asian and African medicine, Eye conditions in West African folk medicine, Roasted seeds as coffee substitute

Laxative, Antimicrobial, Antifungal, Hepatoprotective research

Stimulant laxative, Antimicrobial, Research into liver conditions, Antioxidant

2–3 g leaves as tea; roasted seeds as coffee

1–2 g leaves as laxative tea; 2–4 roasted seeds as coffee substitute

Pregnancy, Children (anthraquinone toxicity), Prolonged use, Kidney disease

Pregnancy, Inflammatory bowel disease, Children under 12 for laxative, Prolonged use

Laxative cramping, Electrolyte imbalance, Seeds contain chrysarobin (hepatotoxic in excess)

Laxative cramping, Electrolyte depletion