Can Constipation Remedies like Cascara Sagrada be dangerous?

Many natural constipation remedies on the market today make dramatic claims about how fast and effective they are at alleviating constipation. What many consumers don’t realize is that this speed may come at a cost to one’s health. Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) is one stimulant natural laxative that consumers should pay attention to before consuming.

Cascara Sagrada – constipation relief at what cost?

• One case study done in 2000 found that continued use of cascara sagrada led to cholestatic hepatitis, a condition in which cells in the liver degenerate and greatly reduce the excretion of bile into the small intestines. Bile is an essential component of proper digestion and if cascara sagrada does truly decrease its production, it could be responsible for a worsening of digestive conditions like constipation over time.


• When used in combination with DMH in a rat study, cascara sagrada led to increased aberrant crypts, which are predictors of cancerous tumors. There are similar problems involving cancer with the synthetic constipation remedies Polyethylene Glycol and senna.


• Cascara Sagrada produces “black intestines” or Melanosis Coli, which is more thoroughly discussed below.



Another study looked at the cells of colons that had been pigmented due to melanosis coli. It found that colon tissue with melanosis coli had a significantly higher rate of cell death among the epithelial cells of the tissue compared to controls.




Are there safer constipation remedies?

Natural solutions may seem less appealing after reading about all the concerns of using cascara sagrada for colon health. You might wonder whether there is a better option that doesn’t rely on anthraquinones for its laxative effect and yet still uses natural ingredients to give results that surpass stimulant based constipation remedies. While methods such as biofeedback may offer solutions for fighting chronic constipation, they are expensive and take longer to work than a natural, non-stimulant laxative.




StayRegular is an all natural laxative solution that aims to cure occasional and chronic constipation by addressing the various causes of the problem instead of just artificially stimulating the colon. It’s unique “quad-action” formula relieves constipation by drawing water into the colon with essential minerals, providing special fiber for stool movement, rebalancing the colon’s beneficial bacteria, and providing nutrients the body needs to relax into comfortable bowel movements. Why use a potentially dangerous herbal laxative containing cascara sagrada when a safe constipation treatment already exists?