Name
Pursennid 12 mg coated tablets
Sennosides A+B
What is it and what is it for?
Pursennid contains the active ingredient of the Senna plant, which belongs to a group of medicines that stimulate bowel movements.
Pursennid is indicated for the short-term treatment of occasional constipation. Pursennid works by stimulating bowel movements within 6-12 hours. For this reason, it is best taken in the evening.
Contact your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 7 days.
What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not take Pursennid
• if you are allergic to sennosides A+B or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
• if your doctor or pharmacist has told you not to take laxatives;
• if you suffer from an inflammatory disease of the colon (for example Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis);
• if you suffer from nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting or stomach cramps;
• if you have severe, severe, or persistent stomach pain, or if your abdomen is tender to the touch and hurts when you move. In these cases, tell your doctor because you may have an undiagnosed intestinal disease;
• if you have been diagnosed with severe dehydration with loss of water and salts (e.g. low potassium levels);
• if the patient is a child under 10 years of age.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Pursennid.
Persistent constipation must first be treated by eating a diet rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and cereals, drinking sufficient amounts of fluids, and engaging in physical activity.
Take special care and tell your doctor:
• if you have not observed any positive effects after taking Pursennid
• if you need to take the medicine for more than 7 days. Prolonged use may lead to habituation and may compromise intestinal function.
• if symptoms continue or worsen while using Pursennid
• if you suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease
• if skin rashes, nausea or vomiting appear
• if you have recently had abdominal surgery.
Children and adolescents
Pursennid should not be given to children under 10 years of age. In children between 10 and 12 years of age, Pursennid can only be used under the supervision of a doctor.
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Stop treatment and consult your doctor immediately if you or your child
• shows typical symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- severe itching of the skin with redness or swelling/hives
• manifests persistent abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea with excessive loss of fluids
• if constipation continues or worsens during treatment with Pursennid.
Side effects with unknown frequency (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
• allergic reactions (severe itching of the skin with redness or swelling/wheals)
• colon disease causing constipation or abdominal enlargement (megacolon), abdominal pain, inflammation of the gastric and rectal mucosa, cramps, nausea, diarrhea
• tiredness, drug addiction
• muscle cramps and weakness (myopathy)
• kidney problems, yellow-brownish coloration of urine (chromaturia)
• increased activity of the adrenal glands (hyperaldosteronism), calcium and magnesium deficiency, excessive loss of fluids (dehydration), loss of sodium (hyponatremia), loss of potassium (hypokalemia) from the body, loss of salts from the body
• low blood pressure (hypotension).
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any side effects, including any not listed in this leaflet, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system at: https://www.aifa.gov.it/content/segnalazionireazioni-avverse .
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.