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Cascara Sagrada
Description:
Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus Purshiana), Family: Anacardiaceae
Common Names:
Bearberry Bearwood California buckthorn
Chittem bark Christ's thorn Holy bark
Persian bark Sacred bark Shittimwood
Habitat: found in Europe and western Asia, and in North America, from northern Idaho to the Pacific coast; mountainous areas.
Description: Cascara sagrada is a small deciduous tree that grows from 15-20 feet in height. It has pubescent stems covered with reddish-brown bark and often gray lichen. The tree bears dark green elliptic to oblong-ovate leaves with prominent veins and toothed margins. The leaves are rounded at the base and have somewhat hairy undersides. Short-stemmed clusters of small, greenish-white flowers grow from the upper leaf axils; they eventually produce black, pea-sized drupes that are poisonous.
Medicinal parts: bark- dried, collected at least a year before use.
Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Only the dried form of cascara should be used. Capsules providing 20–30 mg of cascarosides per day can be used. However, the smallest amount necessary to maintain soft stool should be used.3 As a tincture, 1/4–1 teaspoon (1–5 ml) per day is generally taken. It is important to drink eight 6-ounce (180 ml) glasses of water throughout the day while using cascara. Cascara should be taken consecutively for no longer than eight to ten days.4
Food Sources:
Cascara is a small to medium-size tree native to the provinces and states of the Pacific coast, including British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. The bark of the tree is removed, cut into small pieces, and dried for one year before being used medicinally. Fresh cascara bark has an emetic or vomit-inducing property and therefore is not used.
Side Effects & Interactions:
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, and children under the age of 12 should not use cascara without the advice of a physician. People with an intestinal obstruction, Crohn’s disease, appendicitis or abdominal pain should not employ this herb.5 Long-term use or abuse of cascara may result in weakened bowel function. It may also cause a loss of electrolytes (especially the mineral potassium). Loss of potassium can lead to abnormalities of heart function and may augment the action of digitalis-like medications with fatal consequences.