Title: Cascara Sagrada
Additional Names: Sacred bark; Chittem bark; Chittim bark; Purshiana bark; Persian bark; bearberry bark; bearwood
Literature References: Dried bark of Rhamnus purshiana DC., Rhamnaceae, from which a naturally occurring cathartic is extracted. Habit. Northern Idaho, west to Northern California. The cathartic properties are primarily due to the presence of cascarosides, anthraglycosides which are related to glycosides found in aloe, q.v. and buckthorn. See A. Y. Leung, Drug Cosmet. Ind. 121, 42 (December, 1977). Other constituents are aloins (C-glycosides), O-glycosides, and free anthraquinones: Analyst 93, 749 (1968); ibid. 98, 830 (1973) (Joint Committee Reports). Isoln of anthraquinone aglycones and glycosides: S. C. Yung Su, N. M. Ferguson, J. Pharm. Sci. 63, 899 (1973). Structure of cascarosides A and B: J. W. Fairbairn et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 15 (Suppl.) 292T, (1963); F. J. Evans et al., ibid. 27 (Suppl.), 91P (1975). Biological evaluation of cascara bark prepns: J. W. Fairbairn, G. E. D. H. Mahran, ibid. 5, 827 (1953).
NOTE: Commercial prepn, Cas-Evac.
Therap-Cat: Cathartic.
Therap-Cat-Vet: Laxative. |