Rhamnus purshiana, as it is botanically known, was introduced to Spanish priests in California by the Native American Indians in the area in the sixteenth-century.
The Indians named the herb cascara sagrada, meaning "sacred bark". They would strip the bark from the cascara tree in spring and into early summer, and infuse the dried bark in boiling water to prepare an infusion for the treatment of constipation.
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Cascara sagrada was later adopted by American physicians in 1877 and has been listed in the American Pharmacopoeia since 1894. Today, the herb is considered one of the world’s most common treatments for constipation and is a key ingredient in most over-the-counter laxatives.
Cascara is a member of the Rhamnaceae plant family and grows wild along the west coast of North America; the Pacific northwest from British Columbia to northern California.
Cascara is a deciduous tress and is medium-sized. It grows 30 feet high with slender branches and a reddish-brown bark. Its elliptical leaves are yellow-green with jagged edges and cluster at the tip of the branchlets. In May and June the cascara blooms green and white flowers and in September sprouts round and black, berry-like fruits.
The bark, when eaten raw, is bitter, and causes nausea, hence it is dried before being prepared for medicinal use.
Parts used
The bark is stripped from the trunk in spring and early summer and dried in the shade for a period of one year, before being cut and sold, or prepared in formulas for medicinal use.
Active compounds
Hydroxyanthraquinone glycosides called cascarosides
Resins
Tannins
Lipids
Emodin
Glucose
Fats
Volatile oils
How cascara works in the body
Cascarosides have a cathartic action that irritates the intestines, causing contractions (peristalsis) of the intestinal wall muscles – a blend of anthraquinones brings about the laxative effect, or peristalsis.
It has been said that no synthetic substance can match the action of cascara, especially since it is mild enough to be administered to the elderly and those in poor health. It is also safe to use and non-habit forming.
Combinations
Cascara sagrada can be combined with aromatics and carminatives.
Medical actions
Purgative, bitter tonic
Anti-viral
Medicinal use of cascara
Constipation and anal fissures
Gallstones
Herpes simplex
Haemorrhoids
Indigestion
Lack of appetite
Available varieties in South Africa
Cascara sagrada bark cut
Cascara sagrada powder
Dosage
Infusion: Boil cascara root cut in a covered saucepan containing 750ml of water for 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the closed container and drink one tablespoon at a time to amount to two cups a day.
Capsules: Two capsules twice a day.
Tincture: 1-5ml per day.
Safety
The fresh bark of cascara should never be eaten as it causes severe nausea. The herb should be avoided by pregnant and lactating women and by people who suffer from intestinal obstruction. It should also be avoided in cases of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Cascara should not be taken for more than eight to ten days at a time; long-term use may cause a loss of electrolytes and weaken the colon.
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