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Today we’re talking about Cascara Sagrada, a natural plant with interesting properties, especially laxative ones that fight constipation.
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What is Cascara Sagrada?
Rhamnus purshiana or Cascara Sagrada is a natural plant from the temperate zones of North America, from the Midwest to California. It grows in coniferous forests and is also cultivated in Central Africa.
It’s usually used in its natural form or in tablets to treat occasional constipation.
As you probably know, constipation is a disorder related to the digestive system that results in the retention of fecal matter or stools. The evacuation of solid waste from the body is scarce, infrequent, or difficult for the person.
Almost everyone experiences temporary constipation at some point in their life.
Sometimes, constipation comes with other disorders that cause extra discomfort for the person, with harmful effects on health.
Rhamnus purshiana
The name Cascara Sagrada was given by the Spanish when they colonized the American continent, believing that the wood from this tree was used to build Noah’s Ark.
It’s a tree 6 to 12 meters tall, with leaves measuring between 4 and 8 cm long, covered with fuzz when they sprout, then turning a bright green. They’re elliptical, entire, and slightly toothed.
Cascara Sagrada natural laxative
Cascara Sagrada is a natural laxative that, as mentioned before, comes from the bark of the Rhamnus purshiana tree, native to the Pacific Northwest. The bark is cut into small pieces and left to dry for about a year.
It’s a natural product used as an active ingredient in the manufacture of some laxative medicines.
This plant has a high content of hydroxyanthracene glycosides, mainly composed of cascarosides. These compounds have a purgative or cathartic effect on the intestines, making them useful for treating constipation.
What is Cascara Sagrada good for?
Cascara Sagrada has:
- Cathartic action,
- laxative,
- appetite stimulant, and
- cholagogue.
So it’s mainly used for short-term treatment of constipation, because it restores the colon’s natural tone, while causing a gentle and regular increase in intestinal peristaltic movements.
When you take cascara sagrada, substances are released in the large intestine that are then processed by the gut flora, helping release aglycones that act on the mucosa and promote evacuation.
In small doses, it can help stimulate appetite; in larger doses, it acts as a laxative and mild purgative.
It also helps expel bile retained in the gallbladder, reducing fat absorption at the intestinal level.
What are the properties of Cascara Sagrada?
- Improves intestinal transit with a laxative effect, without irritating the digestive system.
- Helps with better digestion and contributes to cleansing the colon.
- Reduces cholesterol and triglycerides.
- As a bitter tonic, it increases appetite.
The extract of the bark is metabolized by intestinal bacteria, causing the production of substances that stimulate intestinal movement, making evacuation easier.
How to take it?
Cascara sagrada and its extracts are used for short-term treatment of occasional constipation.
It’s generally used at 1 to 5 ml per day. While taking cascara sagrada, it’s important to drink eight glasses of about 200 ml of water throughout the day.
Cascara sagrada bark shouldn’t be taken for more than 8 to 10 days without medical supervision.
Cascara sagrada can be taken in capsule or powder form, with the dose depending on age and personal history. It’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before using it.
This natural plant is usually found in capsule form, and the typical dose is 1 capsule a day before bed with a glass of water, though this dose can be adjusted as needed.
Cascara Sagrada tea
It’s also very healthy to drink Cascara Sagrada tea. Another way to consume this product is as an infusion, using the dried bark.
The ingredients are:
- 1 teaspoon of cascara sagrada.
- 250 ml of boiling water.
For preparation, put the bark in a cup and add boiling water. Then let it steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink 1 to 2 cups at night before bed.
Precautions
On the other hand, it’s important to clarify that cascara sagrada should not be taken if pregnancy is suspected or during pregnancy. Nor during breastfeeding because it can pass into the milk and cause diarrhea in the newborn.
It’s also contraindicated in children under 12 years old.
Likewise, it shouldn’t be taken if you’re on digoxin, corticosteroids, arrhythmia medications, diuretics, or cardiotonic glycosides, as it could cause drug interactions.
Also, it’s contraindicated if you have intestinal disorders like appendicitis, stomach ulcers, intestinal obstruction, diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, rectal bleeding, vomiting, or dehydration.
Bibliographic Sources
- “Approved medicinal plants in Colombia” Ramiro Fonnegra G. and Silvia Luz Jiménez R.
- “Health through medicinal plants” Dr. Jorge D. Pamplona Roger
- “Medicinal plants and remedies” Books IV-V. Manuela García Valdés
- “100 selected medicinal plants” Alfredo Ara Roldán
- “Practical phytotherapy manual: description of medicinal plants and preparation of natural remedies” Pedro Moreiro López
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