 Cascara Sagrada can help with the following: | |  | | | Digestion |  Constipation | Parke-Davis recognized its use as an herbal laxative, and marketed it as such as early as 1877. It is still one of the best herbal laxatives available today (along with Cape Aloes and Senna), because it is both quick and mild.
The US FDA in February of 2002 issued a final ruling that aloe and Cascara sagrada will not be included in the final monograph for over-the-counter (OTC) laxative drug products because they have not been shown to be generally safe and effective as stimulant laxatives. According to the ruling, aloe extract, aloe flower extract, cascara fluid extract aromatic, Cascara sagrada extract, casanthranol, Cascara sagrada bark and Cascara sagrada fluid extract will no longer be allowed in OTC laxative drug products and are not GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).
Cascara Sagrada bark is "Approved" by the German Commission E for constipation. |
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KEY | | May do some good |
GLOSSARY
Commission E
The body of scientists and panel of experts that provides advice on herbal treatments and evaluates the safety, effectiveness and dosage of medicinal herbs; Germany's equivalent of the FDA.
Constipation (Constipated)
Difficult, incomplete, or infrequent evacuation of dry, hardened feces from the bowels.
FDA
The (American) Food and Drug Administration. It is the official government agency that is responsible for ensuring that what we put into our bodies - particularly food and drugs - is safe and effective.
Herbs (Herb, Herbal)
Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, teas should be made with one teaspoon herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. Tinctures may be used singly or in combination as noted. The high doses of single herbs suggested may be best taken as dried extracts (in capsules), although tinctures (60 drops four times per day) and teas (4 to 6 cups per day) may also be used.
Laxative (Laxatives)
A substance (food, herb, chemical) that stimulates evacuation of the bowels. Examples include cascara sagrada, senna, castor oil, aloe vera, bisacodyl, phenolphthalein and many others.
Over-The-Counter (OTC, Over The Counter)
A drug or medication that can legally be bought without a doctor's prescription being required.
Stimulant Laxative (Stimulant Laxatives)
Stimulant laxatives are believed to stimulate nerve endings in the nerve plexuses of the bowel wall, increasing the movement of its content via several mechanisms. The most common active ingredients include the Anthraquinones (Senna, Aloin, Frangula, Cascara and Powdered rhubarb) and the Diphenylmethane derivatives (Bisacodyl, Sodium picosulfate, Phenolphthalein). Traditionally-used castor oil has fallen into disuse because of its 'drastic' action and unpleasant taste.
Uterus (Uterine)
The part of the female reproductive system specialized to allow the implantation, growth and nourishment of a fetus during pregnancy.
Last updated: Oct 08, 2008
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