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An effective but powerful laxative
When the 16th-century Spanish explorers who first visited California had a problem with constipation, the local Indians knew the cure -- a tea made from the bark of a small tree. The Spanish named it cascara sagrada, "sacred bark." It's been the answer to prayers ever since.
Common Uses
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There are several types of laxatives: bulk-formers (psyllium seed), lubricants (mineral oil), stool-softeners (Colace), enemas, and chemical stimulants. [1] Cascara sagrada is a chemical stimulant. It contains compounds (anthraquinones) that stimulate peristalsis, the intestinal contractions we experience as the urge to use the toilet. [2]
Of all the stimulant laxatives, cascara sagrada is "certainly the best," according to noted herb expert Varro Tyler, Ph.D., former dean of the School of Pharmacy at Indiana's Purdue University. The reason: The anthraquinones in cascara sagrada are milder than those found in other herbal stimulant laxatives, notably buckthorn and aloe vera latex. As a result, cascara sagrada is less likely to cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. However, these reactions are still possible. If any occur, use less, or stop using cascara sagrada. [3]
Sources
1 Simons. A. et al. Before You Call The Doctor. Ballantine, NY, 1994, pp. 378-381.
2 Duke, James. The Green Pharmacy, Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 1997, pp. 142-143.
3 Tyler, V. Herbs of Choice. Hawthorn Press, NY. 1994, p.48.
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Uses
The Spanish recognized cascara sagrada as a botanical relative of buckthorn, a powerful European laxative herb. Actually, buckthorn was often too powerful, causing abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Cascara sagrada was much gentler. The explorers sent some back to Spain, where its comparatively mild action was initially hailed as a wonder of the New World. But the Spanish were more interested in gold than laxatives. Cascara sagrada was soon forgotten. [4]
Of course, native Californians never forgot it. During the Gold Rush of 1849, gold miners began using it and sending it to friends and relatives back East. In 1877, a Detroit physician extolled cascara's mildness in a popular home medical guide of the day, prompting the pharmaceutical firm Parke, Davis & Co. to market the first commercial preparation. Cascara sagrada has been widely used ever since. [5]
In 1890 cascara sagrada entered the U.S. Pharmacopeia, the master catalog of all of this country's drugs, and remains there today. [6] It is the active ingredient in several over-the-counter laxatives, including Nature's Remedy and Caroid. [7]
Instructions
Anthraquinone laxatives should be considered the last-resort treatment for constipation. First, eat a diet higher in fiber, drink more fluids, and get more exercise. If that doesn't work, try a bulk-former, lubricant, stool-softener, or enema. And if none of them provides sufficient relief, try cascara sagrada. [8]
It's best to use a commercial preparation of this herb, as the bulk herb can be hazardous. Fresh bark contains chemicals that can cause violent purgation and severe intestinal cramps. Since these chemicals decompose slowly during storage, cascara sagrada should be stored for at least a year before use. But it's difficult to determine with any degree of confidence how long the bulk herb has been stored. In addition, the bulk herb tastes quite bitter. So, it's wise by all accounts to use a commercial preparation. Follow package directions. [9]
When using a tincture or other liquid extract, the typical dose is about 1/2 teaspoon at bedtime. [10]
Sources
4 Weiner, Michael and Janet Weiner. Herbs That Heal. Quantum Books, Mill Valley, CA, 1994, p. 104.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Knodel, L.C. (ed.). Nonprescription Products: Formulations and Features, 1997-1998. Am. Pharmaceutical Assoc., Washington, DC, 1997, pp. 165, 173.
8 Simons, A. et al. Before You Call The Doctor. Ballantine, NY, 1994, pp. 378-381.
9 Tyler, V. et al. Pharmacognosy (9th ed.). Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1988, pp. 60-62.
10 Ibid.
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Duke, James. The Green Pharmacy. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 1997.
Hobbs, Christopher. Herbal Remedies for Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Books, 1998.
Knodel, L.C. (ed.). Nonprescription Products: Formulations and Features, 1997-1998. Washington, DC: American Pharmaceutical Association, 1997.
Simons, A., et al. Before You Call The Doctor. New York: Ballantine, 1994.
Tyler, V. Herbs of Choice. New York: Hawthorn Press, 1994.
Tyler, V., et al. Pharmacognosy (9th ed.). Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1988.
Weiner, Michael and Janet Weiner. Herbs That Heal. Mill Valley, CA: Quantum Books, 1994.
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