Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) Herbal Medicine

Cascara sagrada Health Benefits, Dosage, Side effects and Warnings.


Cascara sagrada

Scientific Name: Rhamnus purshiana

Other names:

Cascara Buckthorn, Cascara, , Sacred bark, Bearberry, Chittam or Chitticum bark

Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) also known as Cascara Buckthorn, Cascara, Bearberry, Chittam or Chitticum bark, is a species of buckthorn native to western North America. Cascara Sagrada which is the Spanish term for “sacred bark” is an evergreen tree, the largest species of buckthorn, growing up to 10 to 15 m tall.

Cascara Sagrada has thinly fissured dark red brownish bark with silvery-gray lichen. The leaves are deciduous, alternate, wavy-edge with fine irregular toothed margins. Cascara Sagrada leaves are broad, oval in shape, dark green on top and pale green at the other side. Cascara Sagrada has tiny bell shaped flowers that bloom briefly during summer and bears a red berrylike fruit about 6 to 10 cm in diameter that turns deep purple to black as it matures.

Cascara sagrada Traditional Medicinal Uses and Health benefits

Active constituents that are found in Cascara sagrada include the following: aloe-emodin, aloe-emodin-O-glycoside, barbaloin, casanthranol, cascara, cascaroside, cascarosides: A, B, C and D. Cglycosides, chrysaloin, chrysophanol, dianthrones, diasteroisomers, emodin oxanthrone, Hydroxyanthraquinone, glycosides, mono-anthrone-O-glycosides, Linoleic acid, Myristic acid and syringic acid . The combination of these minerals provide the claimed health benefits of Cascara sagrada although limited scientific research would support these claims.

Cascara Sagrada is a popular herbal remedy for constipation. Prior 2002, in the United States, Cascara sagrada was a common ingredient in many commercial, over-the-counter laxatives. Its activity is that it soothes the mucous membrane of the colon that helps in the accumulation of electrolytes and water thus promoting smoother bowel movements..

Cascara sagrada helps in the treatment of gallstones. The native American people has used Cascara sagrada in the treatment of gallstones. It claims to promote the secretion of bile that rid off gallstones. Cascara sagrada also promotes the secretion of digestive juice preventing the formation of stones.

Cascara Sagrada is good for hair problems. It is used in the treatment of hair lice infestation and of dandruff. A decoction made from Cascara sagrada bark is used to wash away the flaky skin on the scalp, helping to unclog the hair follicles promoting hair growth and preventing hair fall. Cascara sagrada can also make the hair soft, strong and shiny.

Cascara sagrada has Anti Cancer properties. It inhibits the growth of Cancer cells. Cascara makes chemotherapy more effective. It fights free radicals in the body and suppresses the growth of Cancer causing cells.

Cascara Sagrada health benefits for the Skin. A tincture of Cascara sagrada is used to treat acne break-out. It is believed that used as a face wash or applied as an ointment, it can defer wrinkling of the skin and improves the skin tone removing signs of blemishes. The ointment also acts as a shield against harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.

Cascara sagrada health benefits for the liver. A tea infusion of Cascara sagrada has been traditionally used to treat and protect the liver. It is used in treating jaundice.

Cascara sagrada is also used to treat hemorrhoids. An infusion or ointment prepared from the dried bark of Cascara sagrada has been used to treat haemorrhoids.  

 

Science Research: Cascara sagrada Health Benefits


Apoptosis-inducing activity of new pyrazole emodin derivatives in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.

A series of new pyrazole derivatives from emodin synthesized in our lab have been shown to have much stronger cytotoxicity than emodin against various tumor cell lines. This study was to examine the apoptosis-inducing activity of these new emodin derivatives in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell culture for a better understanding of their cytotoxic effects on the cancer cells. Several major events in the induction of cell apoptosis, nuclear chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage were detected in the cells after treatment with the compounds at various concentrations. Of the seven emodin derivatives tested at a dose of 10 microM and within a treatment period of 24 h, only compounds 1 and 3 effectively induced all these apoptotic events in the cancer cells. The apoptosis-inducing activity of the compounds showed a positive correlation to their cytotoxic activity, suggesting a close connection between the growth inhibition and apoptosis induction of the cancer cells by these pyrazole emodin derivatives. Source: Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Jun;30(6):1113-6.


Emodin-induced apoptosis in human breast cancer BCap-37 cells through the mitochondrial signaling pathway.

Emodin, a natural anthraquinone compound isolated from the rhizome of rhubarb, is reported to suppress the growth of tumor in many clinical situations. In this study, we focused on the effect of emodin in human breast cancer BCap-37 cells and further understand the underlying molecular mechanism in treating breast cancer. Using MTT assay and flow cytometry, we demonstrated the critical role of emodin in the suppression of the proliferation of BCap-37 cells based on a concentration-and time-dependent manner. The increase of apoptotic rate was also observed after incubation of BCap-37 cells on emodin at 20 microM and 50 microM for 48 h. The cells exhibited typical apoptotic features including cellular morphological change, chromatin condensation and membrane blebbing. The results of the study further showed that Bcl-2 level decreased, while Bax and cytosolic cytochrome c levels in sample cells increased after the emodin treatment by using Western blot. The decline in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and the increase of cytosolic cytochrome c concentration were consistent with the increase of the apoptotic ratio. The results strongly suggest that the disruption of the mitochondrial signaling pathway was involved in emodin-induced apoptosis in BCap-37 cells. Source: Arch Pharm Res. 2008 Jun;31(6):742-8.


Emodin sensitizes paclitaxel-resistant human ovarian cancer cells to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis in vitro.

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic malignancies in the world, and the development of drug resistance is a major impediment toward successful treatment of the desease. Emodin has been reported to sensitize human tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. The present study investigated whether emodin could overcome chemoresistance of A2780/taxol cells. Cells were treated with different concentration of emodin alone or combined with paclitaxel, then the cell viability was measured by MTT and the apoptosis was determined by flow cytometric analysis. The changes of mRNA and protein were examined by QRT-PCR and Western blotting. The function of P-glycoprotein was also determined by flow cytometry. The results showed that emodin induced apoptosis alone at a high concentration and increased paclitaxel-induced apoptosis at a low concentration. It enhanced the sensitivity of A2780/taxol cells to paclitaxel with down-regulation of P-glycoprotein, XIAP and survivin. Taken together, the results demonstrated a dual role for emodin in the inhibition of drug resistant ovarian tumor growth by increasing paclitaxel cellular concentration and re-sensitizing the resistant cells to paclitaxel. Our results suggest the possibility of an innovative chemotherapeutic strategy that uses emodin in combination with paclitaxel to increase the sensitivity of tumor cells. Source: Oncol Rep. 2009 Jun;21(6):1605-10.


Cascara sagrada-induced intrahepatic cholestasis causing portal hypertension: case report and review of herbal hepatotoxicity.

Herbal medicines are gaining widespread popularity. Much of the public believes that botanical herbs are both harmless and useful for the treatment of a variety of symptoms. This belief stands in contrast with the fact that many herbal therapies have been shown to be toxic. In the present case report, cascara sagrada (CS) has been associated with the development of cholestatic hepatitis, complicated by portal hypertension. CS is a mixture of ingredients, among which is anthracene glycoside--an herbal agent that previously has been associated with chronic hepatitis. The liver injury in the case herein reported is believed to be related to either anthracene glycoside or one of the other constituents of CS. Source: Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Dec;95(12):3634-7.


How to Get and How to Use

Where can I get or buy Cascara sagrada?

Cascara sagrada bark comes from a tree called the California buckthorn. This tree grows on the West Coast of the United States and parts of South America and the bark can be harvested if you find one. Otherwise the commercial grades can be bought in health stores.

Cascara sagrada is commercially prepared as powdered, capsules and tincture forms. Cascara sagrada products are vailable in most fitness and health stores. Cascara sagrada is also available online via Amazon as listed: Cascara Sagrada Bark Powder 16oz 1lb (aged), there are other brands to select from, be sure to select one from a reputable manufacturer and do follow the suggested dosage.

Cascara Sagrada has been traditionally used by native Americans as laxative for constipation. Dried and aged cascara Sagrada barks are used as tea infusion to treat chronic constipation.

The barks are harvested, dried and aged to minimum of one year to dry and mollify toxic constituents. Never use a fresh bark as it contains toxic chemicals.

Recommended dosage for treatment of constipation:


Dosage, Warnings and Side Effects

Prior to 2002, Cascara Sagrada was widely accepted by medical practitioners in the United States and was a common ingredient in many commercial, over-the-counter laxatives.

However the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued a ruling in 2002, banning the use of Cascara Sagrada as laxative ingredient in over-the-counter drug products. Use of Cascara Sagrada has been found to contain potentially toxic and carcinogenic substances that can cause bloody diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pains, and loss of body fluids, hepatitis and even rectal and colonic cancer.

Cascara Sagrada herbal infusions and capsules should only be taken with close supervision by a competent medical practitioner.

Prolonged usage of more than 7 days is considered unsafe.

Unsafe for pregnant and breast feeding women.

Unsafe to use if there are undetermined intestinal problems.

 

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