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Cascara sagrada is a natural laxative that comes from the
reddish-brown bark of the Rhamnus purshiana tree native to the
Pacific Northwest. It was used by various Native American Indian
tribes, who also passed their "sacred bark" on to Spanish
explorers.
Cascara Sagrada
Cascara
sagrada was formerly introduced into western culture when Eli Lilly
& Company introduced "Elixir Purgans," a popular product
containing cascara as well as several other laxative
herbs.
The most notable constituents in cascara sagrada are
hydroxyanthraquinone glycosides called cascarosides. Cascarosides
exhibit a cathartic effect that induces the large intestine to
increase its muscular contraction (peristalsis), causing a bowel
movement. Other important constituents include resins, tannins, and
lipids whichmake up the majoriy of the other bark
ingredients.
Today, many common laxatives use cascara sagrada
as an ingredient. To use cascara sagrada as a laxative, the bark
must be carefully prepared by curing for at least one year or heated
and dried to speed up the aging process. Aging is essential because
fresh cascara sagrada is irritating to the gastrointestinal system,
causing vomiting and upset stomach.
Cascara sagrada is
recognized as safe and effective by most medical and health
professionals.
Health Benefits
The
value of cascara sagrada as a laxative is clear for easing
constipation, when it's taken properly and at a safe dosage. In
fact, cascara is such a mild laxative that it can safely be used by
the elderly and for the mild constipation that can occur following
anal or rectal surgery as it prevents the pressure and pain
associated with hemorrhoids and anal fissures. However, additional
medical indications have not been substantiated and little is known
about additional benefits of this herb.
A bowel movement
usually will take place within six to eight hours of taking a
typically recommended dose of cascara
sagrada.
Dosage
Since everyone
responds differently to laxatives, it is always recommended to start
with the lowest dose. Be sure to drink plenty of water when using
any laxative. For constipation and related discomforts such as
hemorrhoids: 1 teaspoon of liquid extract three times a day or 1 or
2 teaspoons at bedtime; or 1 or 2 capsules of dried bark at
bedtime.
Supporting
Literature
Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg
A, et al. (eds). The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic
Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative Medicine
Communications, 1998, 104–105.
Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia
of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d
ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 128–130.
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