College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana)

Cold, dry, bitter, astringent purgative and stimulating laxative. Promotes bowel movements to relieve constipation and to clear internal heat.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Cold, dry, bitter, astringent purgative and stimulating laxative. Promotes bowel movements to relieve constipation and to clear internal heat.

Metabolic Nature of Cascara sagrada

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

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DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

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MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

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PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

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SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

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Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Cascara sagrada
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Purgative

PURGATIVE

Where general laxatives target the colon, purgatives are strong laxatives that target complete elimination of the small intestine. Use only sporadically as it can be habit forming.

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General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.

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,
Stimulant Laxative

STIMULANT-LAXATIVE

Stimulant laxatives induce bowel movements by stimulating peristaltic movement (the contraction of smooth muscle in the intestines). They are effective when used on a short-term basis. On a long-term basis, they can create dependency. Aka irritant laxativ

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Antifibrotic

ANTIFIBROTIC

Fibrosis of an organ is often a progressive leading to organ failure (i.e lungs, liver, kidney). While vulneraries usually help restore collagen, antifibrotic herbs often clear collagen. Aka fibrinolytic.

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Constituents:
Tannins,
Anthraquinone

ANTHRAQUINONE

Acts as a colon stimulant laxative and osmotic stool softener. Stimulates inflammatory prostaglandins in the colon. Calcium channel blocker that relaxes smooth muscle tissue. It is the active ingredient in senna, turkey rhubarb, cascara sagrada, etc.

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,
Emodin

EMODIN

Emodin is an antifibrotic molecule found in many anthroquinone laxatives.

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Foods with a Similar Nature to Cascara sagrada

  • Rhubarb

    Rhubarb has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Garlic

    Garlic has these Actions in Common

    Stimulant-laxative, Antifibrotic, General-laxative

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  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Stimulant-laxative, Antifibrotic, General-laxative

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  • Pineapple

    Pineapple has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, General-laxative

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  • Red Onion (raw)

    Red Onion (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Stimulant-laxative, General-laxative

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  • Coffee

    Coffee has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Aloe Vera Juice / Gel

    Aloe Vera Juice / Gel has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Dandelion Leaves

    Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Beets

    Beets has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Apricot (dried)

    Apricot (dried) has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative

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  • Figs

    Figs has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative

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Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Cascara sagrada

  • Turkey Rhubarb

    Turkey Rhubarb has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, General-laxative, Purgative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Senna

    Senna has these Actions in Common

    Stimulant-laxative, Antifibrotic, General-laxative

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  • Gandharvahasthadi Thailam

    Gandharvahasthadi Thailam has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Castor Oil

    Castor Oil has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Bibhitaki

    Bibhitaki has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Easy Go Pro Toilet Stool (White)

    Easy Go Pro Toilet Stool (White) has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative

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  • Easy Go Pro Toilet Stool (Clear)

    Easy Go Pro Toilet Stool (Clear) has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative

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  • Danti

    Danti has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Purgative

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  • Bilva

    Bilva has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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  • Simhanad Guggulu Tablets

    Simhanad Guggulu Tablets has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Stimulant-laxative

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.