Natural laxatives

Buckthorn

Synonyms: Bacca Spinae Cervinae; Espino Cerval; Espino cerval; Kreuzdorn; Nerprun

Note. Distinguish from Alder Buckthorn Bark (see Frangula Bark) and from Sea Buckthorn.

Pharmacopoeias. In Germany.

Profile

Buckthorn is the dried ripe fruit of Rhamnus cathartica (Rhamnaceae) the bark is also occasionally used. Buckthorn is an anthraquinone stimulant laxative.

Preparations

Multi-ingredient

Australia: Neo-Cleanse

UK: Cleansing Herbs; Lion Cleansing Herbs

Cassia Pulp

Fístula, pulpa de caña, Мякоть Амалтас

Profile

Cassia pulp is the evaporated aqueous extract of crushed ripe cassia fruits (cassia pods), Cassia fistula (Leguminosae). It is a mild anthraquinone stimulant laxative with general properties similar to those of senna.

Preparations

Multi-ingredient

Brazil: Fitolax Florlax Fontolax Forlax Frutalax † Laxarine † Laxtam Naturetti Sene Composta † Tamaril Tamarine Tamarix †

France: Benetransit

Italy: Miracolon Tamarine

Mexico: Naturetti †

South Africa: Entressdruppels HM

Spain: Pruina

Colocynth

Synonyms: Bitter Apple; Bitter Cucumber; Colocinto; Colocynth Pulp; Colocynthis; Coloquinte; Coloquintidas; Koloquinthen; Колоцинт

Note. The synonym Bitter Apple has also been applied to the fruits of Solarium incanum.

Profile

Colocynth is the dried pulp of the fruit of Citrullus colocynthis (Cucurbitaceae). It has a drastic purgative and irritant action and has been superseded by less toxic laxatives.

Homoeopathy.

Colocynth has been used in homoeopathic medicines under the following names: Colocynthis Coloc.

Euonymus

Evónimo; Fusain Noir Pourpré; Spindle Tree Bark; Wahoo Bark; Бересклетова Кора

Profile

Euonymus is the dried root-bark of Euonymus atropurpureus (=Evonymus atropurpurea) (Celastraceae). It is reported to have laxative, choleretic, and diuretic activity.

Preparations

Multi-ingredient

France: Jecopeptol

UK: Acidosis; GB Tablets; Indigestion Nixture

Fig

Carica; Ficus; Higo; Инжир; Фикус

Pharmacopoeias. In British and Switzerland

British Pharmacopoeia. Unless otherwise specified, BP references areto the 2008 edition (Fig). The sun-dried succulent fruit of Ficus carica containing not less than 60.0% of water-soluble extractive. Store in a dry place.

Profile

Fig is a mild laxative and demulcent usually used with other laxatives.

Effects on the skin.

Skin reactions and photodermatitis have followed application of home-made decoctions of fig leaves to the skin.

Preparations

Multi-ingredient

Austria: Carilax; Frugellette;n Herbela;x Neda Fruchtewurfel

Brazil: Bilifel †

Denmark: Figen

France: Carres Parapsyllium; Preservation

Germany: florabio Mann-Feigen-Sirup mit Senna; florabio Manna-Feigen

Switzerland: Agarol Soft; Dragees aux figues avec du sene; Fruttasan; Pursana ;Valverde Constipation dragees; Valverde Constipation sirop

UK: Califig

Frangula Bark

Synonyms: Šaltekšnių žievė; Alder Buckthorn Bark; Amieiro Negro; Bourdaine; Faulbaumrinde; Frángula, corteza de; Frangulabark; Frangulae Cortex; Krušinová kůra; Kutyabengekéreg; Paatsamankuori; Rhamni Frangulae Cortex; Кора Крушины

CAS — 8057-57-6 (frangula extract).

Note. The name Buckthorn Bark has also been used distinguish Frangula Bark from Buckthorn and from Sea Buckthorn.

Pharmacopoeias. In Europe

European Pharmacopoeia, 6th ed. (Frangula Bark). The dried, whole or fragmented bark of the stems and branches of Rhamnus frangula (=Frangula alnus). It contains not less than 7.0% of glucofrangulins, expressed as glucofrangulin A (C₂₇H₃₀O₁₄ = 578.5) and calculated with reference to the dried drug. Protect from light.

Profile

Frangula bark is an anthraquinone stimulant laxative with actions and uses similar to those of senna.

Homoeopathy.

Frangula bark has been used in homoeopathic medicines under the following names: Frangula Rhamnus frangula Rham. fr.

Preparations

European Pharmacopoeia, 6th ed., 2008 and Supplements 6.1and 6.2: Frangula Bark Dry Extract, Standardised.

Proprietary Preparations

France: Depuratif des Alpes

Switzerland: Arkocaps  Elixir frangulae compositum

Multi-ingredient

Australia: Granocol; Herb-a-Lax¤; Normacol Plus; Normacol Standard¤; Pep-uls-ade¤; Pepsillide¤; Roter¤;
Austria: Abfuhrtee; Artin; Blutreinigungstee¤; Dr Ernst Richter’s Abfuhrtee-tassenfertig¤; Dr Ernst Richter’s Abfuhrtee¤; Dr. Ernst Richter’s Abfuhrtee-Filterbeutel¤; Dragees Neunzehn; Gallesyn; Gallesyn; Laxalpin; Laxolind¤; Mag Kottas Krauterexpress Abfuhrtee; Mag Kottas May-Cur-Tee; Planta Lax; Pserhofer’s¤; Rabro¤; Waldheim Abfuhrdragees mild;
Belgium: Feves De Fuca¤; Grains de Vals; Normacol Plus; Roter¤; Spagulax L¤; Tisane Antibiliaire et Stomachique¤; Tisane Contre la Tension¤; Tisane Depurative “les 12 Plantes”¤; Tisane Purgative¤;
Canada: Constipation; Extra Strong Formula 12¤; Herbalax; Lapidar¤;
Czech Republic: Abdomilon; Abfuhr-Heilkrautertee; Cholagol; Reduktan; The Salvat;
Denmark: Ferroplex-frangula;
France: Boldoflorine¤; Bronpax¤; Charbon Tissot¤; Dragees Fuca; Dragees Vegetales Rex; Gastric Vichy¤; Mediflor Tisane Antirhumatismale No 2; Mediflor Tisane Circulation du Sang No 12; Mediflor Tisane Dietetique¤; Mucinum¤; Normacol a la Bourdaine¤; Pilules Dupuis¤; Santane C6¤; Sirop Pectoral enfant¤; Spark¤; Tisane des Familles¤; Tisane Grande Chartreuse¤; Tisane Mexicaine¤; Tisane Touraine¤; Tisane Yerbalaxa¤; Tisanes de l’Abbe Hamon no 17¤; Tisanes de l’Abbe Hamon no 3¤; Tonilax¤;
Germany: “Mletzko” Tropfen¤; Abfuhr-Tee Depuraflux¤; Abfuhr-Tee Stada¤; Abfuhrtee Solubilax N¤; Asgocholan¤; Azupanthenol¤; Batkaletta¤; Bilgast¤; Bilisan forte¤; Bisuc¤; Chola-Dolan¤; Divinal-Bohnen¤; Dr. Klinger’s Bergischer Krautertee, Abfuhr- und Verdauungstee¤; Dr. Klinger’s Bergischer Krautertee, Leber- und Gallentee¤; Drix Richter’s Krautertee¤; Duoform¤; Enzymase N¤; Eupond¤; Floradix Maskam¤; Frux¤; Fucovesin¤; Galleb forte¤; Galleb¤; Gallen-Leber-Tee Stada¤; Gallitophen¤; Gallo sanol N¤; Gastrocaps¤; Goppilax¤; Hacko-Kloster-Krautertee¤; Hepalixier¤; Hepata¤; Hepaticum “Mletzko”¤; Hepaticum-Divinal¤; Heumann Abfurhtee Solubilax N¤; Hevertolax duo¤; Kneipp Abfuhr Dragees N¤; Laxherba N¤; Losapan¤; M 40 N¤; Much-Verdauungspillen¤; Neo-Gallonorm¤; Normacol Granulat¤; Normacol¤; Obstinoletten¤; Original-Hico-Gallenheil¤; Presselin 214¤; Rheuma-Tee¤; Roter¤; Sanato-Lax-forte¤; Spasmo-Bilicura¤; Stacho N¤; Vinco V¤; Worishofener Leber- und Gallensteinmittel Dr. Kleinschrod¤; Zet 26 V¤;
Hong Kong: Hepatofalk; Normacol Plus;
Hungary: Cholagol;
India: Kanormal;
Ireland: Normacol Plus;
Israel: Encypalmed; Rekiv;
Italy: Caved-S¤; Cheliboldo¤; Cinarbile¤; Crisolax¤; Draverex; Fave di Fuca; Fitodorf Alghe Marine¤; Fluidobil¤; Frangulina¤; Ginolax¤; Hepasil Composto¤; Ikelax¤; Lactolas; Neo-Heparbil¤; Neoform; Rabro¤; Sefralax¤; Sintobil¤; Sinulene¤; Tisana Arnaldi¤; Verecolene Complesso¤; Verecolene¤; Vitabil Composto¤;
Mexico: Normacol;
Netherlands: Normacol Plus¤; Roter¤;
New Zealand: Granocol; Normacol Plus;
Portugal: Normacol Plus;
South Africa: Normacol Plus; Roter¤;
Singapore: Normacol Plus; Spain: Caved-S¤; Doctogaster¤; Jarabe Manzanas Siken¤; Laxante Richelet¤; Manzalax¤; Normacol Forte; Rabro¤; Roter Complex¤; Roter¤;
Switzerland: Adistop Lax¤; Boldoflorine¤; Caved-S¤; Colosan plus; Comprimes laxatifs de Worishofen¤; Demodon¤; Drix¤; Enterospasmyl N¤; Fuca¤; Lapidar 10 plus¤; Lapidar 10¤; Lapidar 10; Lapidar 14¤; Laxalind¤; Linoforce; LinoMed; Maffee N¤; Normacol avec bourdaine nouvelle formule; Optilax¤; Padma-Lax; Phyto-Laxia; Phytolax¤; Phytolaxin; Rasayana¤; The laxatif Solubilax¤; Tirgon¤;
Thailand: Roter¤; United Kingdom: Herbulax; Lustys Herbalene; Natravene; Normacol Plus; Priory Cleansing Herbs¤; Rabro¤; Roter¤

Ipomoea

Synonyms: Ipomoea; Ipomoea Root; Mexican Scammony Root; Orizaba Jalap Root; Scammony Root; Ипомея

Ipomoea Resin

Synonyms: Ipomoea, resina de; Mexican Scammony Resin; Scammony Resin

CAS — 9000-34-4.

Profile

Ipomoea is the dried root of Ipomoea orizabensis (Convolvulaceae). Ipomoea resin is a mixture of glycosidal resins obtained from ipomoea and it has a drastic purgative and irritant action. It has been superseded by less toxic laxatives.

Jalap

Synonyms: Jalap Root; Jalap Tuber; Jalapa; Jalapenwurzel; Vera Cruz Jalap; Ялапа

Jalap Resin

Synonyms: Jalapa, resina de; Jalapenharz

CAS — 9000-35-5.

Profile

Jalap is the dried tubercles of Ipomoea purga (=Exogonium purga) (Convolvulaceae). Jalap resin is a mixture of glycosidal resins obtained by extraction of jalap with alcohol and it has a drastic purgative and irritant action. It has been superseded by less toxic laxatives.

Preparations

Multi-ingredient

Brazil: Jalapa Composta †

Canada: Herbal Laxative

South Africa: SB 3 Triple Action Pills.