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Cascara
Natural Encyclopaedia

Cascara sagrada

FAMILY: Apiaceae.

HABITAT: Mediterranean basin, eastern India, Antilles, east coast of Africa, Middle East.

USED PART: the condensed juice.

RECOMMENDED PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS: nebulised dry extract titrated in anthracene derivatives expressed as cascarosides min.9% (Italian Pharmacopoeia X), daily dosage ranging from 2 to 3 mg per kg body weight, preferably in a single evening administration.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: contains 15 to 40% hydroxyanthracene glycosides, particularly cascarosides (they are all anthraquinones). It also contains amino acids, lipids, phytosterols and polysaccharides.

THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES:
Laxative action: is known for its laxative action of a type that stimulates bowel movements. At the level of the large Gut, the active ingredients of Cascara are attacked by the enzymes of the intestinal bacterial flora, thus forming the free anthraquinones responsible for the therapeutic action. This explains the period of time between taking the plant and the onset of the laxative action, which can be as long as 12-16 hours.
Prevalent action: laxative.
Other actions: immunostimulating and healing as a gel.
Main indications: treatment of functional constipation in adults. Also useful in skin diseases of the degenerative-inflammatory type.

SIDE EFFECTS: it may cause diarrhoea with abdominal pain, which may in turn cause a drop in potassium. Abuse of this and other anthraquinone-rich plants can cause habituation resulting in reduced pharmacological efficacy.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: It is contraindicated in pregnancy, in children under 12 years of age, in lactation, in intestinal diverticulosis, in persons with a very long large Gut, in patients with intestinal occlusion or subocclusion, in patients with haemorrhoids and/or perianal fistulas.
The dry extract of this plant should not be administered continuously for more than eight to ten days.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: It may reduce the efficacy of the following drugs: quinidine-type antiarrhythmics, digitalis, potassium-losing diuretics, vincamine and phenoxedil.

 

It can be found in estilax®