Cascara Sagrada as an Herb

(Rhamnus purshiana)

Cascara sagrada is the dried, aged bark of a small tree in the buckthorn family native to the Pacific Northwest. The bark is aged for a year so that the active principles become milder, as freshly dried bark produces too strong a laxative for safe use; it also contains a compound that induces vomiting.

The name cascara sagrada is Spanish for "sacred bark".

Long used as a laxative by Native American groups of the northwest Pacific coast, cascara sagrada bark was not introduced into formal medical practice in the United States until 1877. It is still used in over-the-counter laxatives available in every pharmacy in the United States.

Medicinal Uses for Cascara Sagrada

Dried, aged cascara sagrada bark is widely accepted as a mild and effective treatment for chronic constipation. A simple laxative has been made by pouring boiling water over a bit of pulverized bark and allowing to cool, although it was not usually taken as a tea, the decoction or tincture having been preferred. Must be combined with fennel or caraway to prevent griping.

Suffer from Constipation?
Herbolax, by virtue of its stool softening and intestinal motility enhancing actions, corrects constipation. Herbolax will not disturb the fluid and electrolyte balance. Herbolax is safe for long-term use without producing physiological dependence.

Only the aged bark should be used. If you have chronic constipation, see your doctor for other approaches to avoid laxative dependency.

Cascara sagrada has also been used externally to discourage nail biting, plus research has been conducted to explore Cascara's possible effects on Herpes Simplex.

An infusion is used in the treatment of oedema, flatulent indigestion and menstrual problems. carrot seed has been used as a morning-after contraceptive by the Dutch settlers of Pennsylvania. There is some evidence to uphold this belief. It requires further investigation.

Other uses for the seed have been: gas, hiccoughs, dysentary, chronic coughs, gall bladder stones. Raw scraped carrots have been applied to sore nipples. Raw carrots have been used in combination with garlic for worms in children.

Infusion

American Indians and early Spanish Priests in California made a cold infusion by soaking a piece of bark overnight and then took it as a tome. They also prepared a laxative potion by boiling fresh bark for several hours and then letting it cool. The Spanish name "sacred bark" is because they believed that it is the same wood as was used to build the Ark of the Covenant.

Folklore

The tree has been referenced as the "defecation tree".

Culinary

Generally this herb is not used for culinary purposes. Tea perhaps; but, Cascara sagrada prepared as a tea is not popular because of its extremely bitter taste and the availability of standardized pharmaceutical preparations that perform the same functions.

Cautions

You should not use Cascara Sagrada or any other laxative if you have appendicitis, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis. Not recommended for children under 12. Unlike buckthorn, cascara sagrada is not known to be safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.