Cascara Sagrada Rhamnus purshiana
LATIN NAME: Rhamnus purshiana
COMMON NAME: Cascara
The cascara stands on the cool slopes with its smooth, grey bark, and the small, greenish flowers open in the leaf axils. The small, deciduous tree or large shrub carries the oval, finely toothed, dark-green leaves with the prominent veins and the small, greenish-white flowers in the small clusters through the late spring, one of the quiet, steady sights of the cool slope, to be followed by the small, round, black fruits with the sweet pulp. The smooth, grey bark has a long record in the old pharmacy, and the tree is a fine, historic presence of the cool slope. It is a tree of the open, sunny to lightly shaded, deep, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The cascara is a historic subject of the plant science, and the smooth, grey bark keeps showing up in the work on the woodland trees. The way the small, round, black fruits with the sweet pulp form in the small clusters has been studied at length, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the woodland trees, the bird-feeding trees and the members of the buckthorn family. The prominently veined leaves and the open habit have also made it a fine study tree, and the cascara is a regular subject of the work on the cool-slope trees of the new world.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The cascara is a fine, steady tree of the cool slope and the woodland edge. The small, round, black fruits with the sweet pulp draw the birds through the late summer, and the smooth, grey bark has a long record in the old pharmacy of the new world, while the tree gives the fine, hard wood of the small craft. It is one of the fine choices for the woodland edge, the bird garden and the study collection, and it has been written up in the botanical and the forestry papers for the grey bark and the long record of use. It is a fine, steady tree of the open, sunny to lightly shaded, deep, well-drained garden.
Give the young tree the light shade and the deep soil, and it will settle in the first years.
To grow the cascara from seed, soak the small, dark seeds in the warm water overnight, then sow them just below the surface of the pot of gritty soil. Keep the pot in a bright, open spot and water gently, then set the young plants out in the open ground. The seedlings come up in their own good time and grow on steadily. With the sun or the light shade and the deep, well-drained ground, the steady tree will rise over the years.
Precautions: Not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing. Do not use this product if you have abdominal pain or diarrhea. Consult a health care provider prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing. Discontinue use in the event of diarrhea or watery stools. Do not exceed recommended dose. Not for long-term use.
Alternate Names: rhamnus purshiana, cascara, California buckthorn, sacred bark
Cascara sagrada has a long history of traditional use by native americans. Cascara sagrada contains compounds called anthroquinones, which are responsible for cascara's powerful laxative effects. Anthraquinones trigger contractions in the colon, called peristalsis, which causes the urge to have a bowel movement. Today, it is one of the most common herbal laxatives.
In addition to being a powerful laxative, cascara is also believed to improve the muscle tone of the colon walls.
Why Do People Use Cascara Sagrada?
Constipation
Dosage Information
Cascara can be found in various forms: capsules, liquid extracts, and dried bark. The dried bark can be made into tea, although it tastes bitter.Fresh cascara bark should not be used, because it can cause bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
A typical dosage of cascara is a 300 mg capsule taken in the early evening to stimulate a bowel movement in the morning. The laxative effect usually occurs 6 to 12 hours after cascara is taken.
Side Effects and Safety
Cascara sagrada should not be used for longer than 7 days in a row.
Pregnant or nursing women should not use cascara sagrada. Children should not use cascara sagrada.
Cascara or other anthraquinone-containing herbs should not be used by people with diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, severe hemorrhoids, blood vessel disease, congestive heart failure, heart disease, severe anemia, abdominal hernia, gastrointestinal cancer, recent colon surgery, or liver and kidney disease. It should not be used if appendicitis is suspected.
Cascara may interact with drugs called cardiac glycosides, such as digitalis.
Side effects of cascara may include strong cramping in the abdomen (due to muscle contractions, electrolyte imbalance (loss of potassium) and loss of body fluids, and dark pigmentation in the colon, called melanosis coli with longer term use. Call your doctor if you experience bloody diarrhea, discolored urine, vomiting, or prolonged abdominal pain after using cascara.