Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adults contains Sennosides which work as a stimulant laxative for the short term relief of occasional constipation. Constipation is a fairly common and uncomfortable complaint. It usually involves difficult or irregular bowel movements, accompanied by hard, dry motions which can be painful to pass. Laxatives do not help with weight loss. What is constipation? Normal and regular bowel movement is important for most people. However, what is "normal and regular" varies from person to person. Some may have a bowel movement every day, others less often. Whatever it is like for you, it is best that your bowel movement has a regular pattern. Constipation is an occasional problem for some people. For others, it may happen more often It happens when the normal muscle actions in the bowel (large intestine) slow down. This can mean that material is not easily eliminated from the body. The cause of constipation is often not known. It can be associated with: Ÿ Sudden change of diet Ÿ A diet with not enough fibre Ÿ Not drinking enough fluids Ÿ Loss of 'tone' of the bowel muscles in older people Ÿ Pregnancy Ÿ Medicines such as morphine or codeine Ÿ Having to stay in bed for a long time Ÿ Lack of exercise Whatever the cause, constipation can be uncomfortable. It may make you feel bloated and heavy or generally "off colour". Sometimes it causes headaches. It is recommended to use changes in diet and bulk forming medicines to control constipation before using this medicine. These healthy tips are recommended to try to prevent constipation happening:
Ÿ Eat a balanced diet including fresh fruit and vegetables Ÿ Drink enough water so that you do not become dehydrated Ÿ Keep up your exercise and stay fit Ÿ Make time to empty your bowels when your body tells you
Ÿ are allergic to Sennosides or any of the ingredients of this
medicines (listed in section 6). Ÿ have blockage or narrowing of the gastro-intestinal tract or bowel
(ileus, intestinal obstruction or stenosis) Ÿ have paralysis or a lack of muscle tone in the bowel (atony) Ÿ have appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's
disease or ulcerative colitis Ÿ have severe dehydration Ÿ have persistent or undiagnosed abdominal complaints e.g. pain,
nausea or vomiting Ÿ have faecal impaction or rectal bleeding for which you don't know
the cause, or blood in stools. Ÿ have already taken a laxative and you are still constipated Ÿ have had a sudden change in bowel habit that has lasted for more
than 2 weeks Ÿ are pregnant or breast-feeding Ÿ have kidney or heart condition If you are not sure, consult your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking this medicine. Does this help with weight loss? Stimulant laxatives (including Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adults) do not help with weight loss. They do not reduce the absorption of calories or nutrients. They can cause watery stools (diarrhoea), abdominal cramps and dehydration. Dehydration can seem like weight loss. Overuse of laxatives may damage your health by:
Ÿ Causing disturbances of electrolyte and mineral balances. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus are electrolytes and minerals that are present in very specific amounts necessary for proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, including those of the colon and heart. Upsetting this delicate balance can cause incorrect functioning of these vital organs.
Ÿ Severe dehydration may cause tremors, weakness, blurry vision, fainting, kidney damage, and, in extreme cases, death. Dehydration often requires medical treatment.
Ÿ Overuse of laxatives can cause the colon to stop reacting to usual doses of laxatives so that larger and larger amounts of laxatives may be needed to produce bowel movements.
Ÿ Laxative dependency occurs from overuse. Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if: Ÿ you suffer from kidney disorders Ÿ you have been told that you have an intolerance to some sugars
because this medicine also contains lactose monohydrate . Warning and precautions: When administering this product to incontinent adults, pads should be changed more frequently to prevent extended skin contact with faeces. Other medicines and Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adults Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking this medicine:
Ÿ If you are taking medicines for a heart condition (e.g. cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmic medicines such as quinidine) medicines inducing QT prolongation, diuretics, adrenocorticosteroids, liquoric e root preparations. You should also consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicine, including medicines prescribed by your doctor, medicines you have bought yourself and herbal or homeopathic remedies. Pregnancy and breast feeding This product should not be taken if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
8mm 5mm should be reduced and stopped.
Adults and the elderly: Take one to two tablets at bedtime with a drink of water. This medicine should not be used by children or adolescents under 18 years of age.
Duration of use Not to be used for more than one week. Normally it is sufficient to take this medicine up to two to three times that week.
Tell a doctor, pharmacist or nurse if: Ÿ the symptoms worsen or persist during the use of the medicinal
product Ÿ there is no bowel movement within 3 days of use Ÿ you need to take laxatives every day, if you are passing blood or if
abdominal pain persists.
Do not take more than the leaflet tells you. Overuse can be harmful.
It may be harmful to take too much of this medicine or take it for too long. This is because it may lead to:
Ÿ 'lazy bowel', where the muscle in the bowel becomes too relaxed.
This means that bowel emptying happens less often. This can lead to long-term constipation.
Ÿ imbalance of fluids and salts in the body. This can affect the
tightness of muscles such as those in the bowel. It can also affect the salts in the blood.
Ÿ low levels of potassium in the blood (called hypo-kalaemia). This
can make you tired, dizzy, make your muscles weak and cause an uneven heartbeat.
Ÿ dehydration, making you thirsty, feel faint and giving you
headaches. It can also mean that you cannot pass enough urine.
If you take more Sennosides 7.5mg tablets Adults than you should If you have accidentally taken too many tablets, consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
If you forget to take Sennosides 7.5mg Tablets Adults If you miss a dose, take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take or give a double dose, just carry on with the recommended dose. If you have any further questions on the use of this product as your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you experience difficulty breathing, stop taking this medicine and contact a doctor or go to the nearest accident and emergency department immediately. If any of the following or other side effects occur, stop taking this product and consult your doctor or pharmacist:
Ÿ Abdominal pain, spasms and diarrhoea, in particular these effects
may be experienced by patients with irritable colon. In these cases, a reduction in the dose may be necessary.
Ÿ Hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions, hives (skin bumps), skin
itchiness around the anus or local or more widespread rash.
Ÿ Yellow or red-brown discolouration of urine may occur which is
harmless. Chronic use may lead to albuminuria and haematuria which is albumin or red blood cells in the urine. Chronic use may cause pigmentation of the gastrointestinal tract which usually recedes when the product is no longer taken. The frequencyof the effects occurring is not known.
Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/ yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Ÿ This product does not require any special temperature storage
conditions. Ÿ Store in the original packaging. Ÿ Does not use after the expiry date shown on the pack (EXP
month/year). Ÿ Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household
waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder Flamingo Pharma (UK) Ltd. 1st Floor, Kirkland House, 11-15 Peterborough Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2AX, United Kingdom
Manufacturer Ascenders Consulting Services Limited 110 Butterfield, Great Marlings, Luton, LU2 8DL, United Kingdom
This Leaflet was last revised in July 2026.
Blind or partially sighted? Is this leaflet hard to see or read? Call +441582 439705 to obtain the leaflet in a format suitable for you.
Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adult (PL 43461/0235) comes as tablet containing 7.5 mg. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adult (PL 43461/0235) is calcium sennosides.
Medicines with the same active substance include: Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adults. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adult (PL 43461/0235), as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
For the short term relief of occasional constipation.
For oral use only
Adults and the elderly: Swallow one to two tablets at night.
Should not be used in children or adolescents under the age of 18 years.
The correct individual dose is the smallest required to produce a comfortable soft-formed motion.
New users should start with the lowest dose and increase it to the maximum dose if necessary.
Once regularity has been regained dosage should be reduced and can usually be stopped.
The pharmaceutical form must allow lower dosages.
Duration of use
Not to be used for more than 1 week. Usually it is sufficient to take this medicinal product up to two to three times during that week.
If the symptoms persist during the use of the medicinal product, a doctor or a pharmacist should be consulted.
See also section 4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use.
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.
Cases of intestinal obstructions and stenosis, atony, appendicitis, inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), abdominal pain of unknown origin, severe dehydration state with water and electrolyte depletion.
Not to be used at the same time as other laxatives.
Pregnancy and lactation (see section 4.6 and 5.3)
Hypokalaemia (resulting from long-term laxative abuse) potentiates the action of cardiac glycosides and interacts with antiarrhythmic medicinal products. Concomitant use with diuretics, adrenocorticosteroids and liquorice may enhance loss of potassium.
Pregnancy
The use during pregnancy is contraindicated because of experimental data concerning a genotoxic risk of several anthranoids, e.g. emodin and aloe- emodin.
Lactation
The use during lactation is contraindicated because after administration of anthranoids, active metabolites, such as rhein were excreted in breast milk in small amounts.
Fertility
No fertility data are available (See section 5.3 Preclinical safety data).
No studies on the effect on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.
The major symptoms of overdose/abuse are griping pain and severe diarrhoea with consequent losses of fluid and electrolytes. Diarrhoea may especially cause potassium depletion, which may lead to cardiac disorders and muscular asthenia, particularly where cardiac glycosides, diuretics, adrenocorticosteroids or liquorice are being taken at the same time.
Treatment should be supportive with generous amounts of fluid. Electrolytes, especially potassium, should be monitored. This is especially important in the elderly.
Chronic ingested overdose of anthranoid containing medicinal products may lead to toxic hepatitis.
Ask anything about Sennosides 7.5 mg Tablets Adult (PL 43461/0235). The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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