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- $13.92
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- UPC: 733739046239
- # N4623
NOW Foods Cascara Sagrada 450 mg (250 Veg Capsules) – Targeted Herbal Regularity & Occasional Constipation Relief
When travel, dietary shifts, or daily stress disrupt your digestive rhythm, finding dependable and predictable relief is essential. NOW® Cascara Sagrada 450 mg delivers traditional, plant-based support formulated to encourage natural colonic muscle contractions and comfortable overnight elimination. Sourced exclusively from the properly aged bark of the Pacific Northwest native tree (Rhamnus purshiana), this time-tested botanical provides targeted relief for occasional constipation without synthetic chemicals or harsh artificial stimulants.
Unlike bulk fiber supplements that can take days to produce results or cause uncomfortable abdominal bloating, Cascara Sagrada works in harmony with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Taken as a single convenient vegetarian capsule at bedtime with water, it typically produces a comfortable bowel movement within 6 to 12 hours—allowing you to rest easy and start your morning refreshed and relieved.
Key Product Highlights:
- Natural Bowel Motility: Delivers 450 mg of pure, premium-grade Cascara Sagrada bark per single-capsule serving to support healthy colonic transit.
- Properly Aged Bark: Naturally cured and aged for at least one full year to eliminate harsh irritants and ensure gentle, well-tolerated digestive stimulation.
- Predictable Overnight Timing: Formulated for bedtime use to deliver gentle, reliable morning bowel evacuation (6 to 12 hours onset).
- Clean Vegetarian Formula: Encapsulated in plant-derived hypromellose capsules; Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan, Kosher, and Halal certified.
- Exceptional 250-Day Value: High-yield 250-capsule bottle (SKU: 4623) provides an economical, shelf-stable supply for household occasional digestive needs.
The Science Behind Cascara Sagrada: How It Restores Regularity
Cascara Sagrada (Spanish for “sacred bark”) has a documented history of use stretching back centuries among Pacific Northwest indigenous nations, later recognized in formal pharmacopeias worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2002; European Medicines Agency [EMA], 2020). Understanding the precise biochemical mechanism of this botanical highlights why proper preparation and responsible short-term use make it such an effective digestive aid.
1. The Critical One-Year Aging Process
Freshly harvested Cascara bark cannot be consumed directly. Raw bark contains reduced, unstable monomeric chemical compounds known as free anthrones. If ingested fresh, these raw compounds cause severe abdominal spasms, painful griping, and violent nausea. Pharmacopeial manufacturing standards mandate that Cascara bark must be aged for a minimum of one full year or subjected to controlled thermal curing (EMA/HMPC/726270/2016). This aging process oxidizes the harsh anthrones into gentle, stable hydroxyanthracene glycosides known as cascarosides (types A, B, C, and D).
2. Targeted Activation in the Lower Colon
Cascarosides function as natural “prodrugs.” Because they are bound to protective sugar molecules (glycosides), they pass completely unabsorbed through the stomach and small intestine, causing no digestive disruption in the upper GI tract. Once they arrive in the large intestine (colon), native beneficial gut bacteria break the sugar bonds via specialized enzymes (β-glycosidases). This enzymatic conversion frees the active aglycone compounds, primarily emodin and rhein anthrones.
3. Dual-Action Colonic Elimination
Once liberated in the colon, the active constituents trigger bowel evacuation through two scientifically established pathways:
- Stimulation of Peristalsis: The active anthrones gently interact with the intrinsic nerve plexus of the intestinal wall (Auerbach’s myenteric plexus). This triggers rhythmic, coordinated muscular contractions that push stagnant waste forward toward the rectum.
- Electrolyte and Water Influx: Cascarosides inhibit the cellular Na+/K+-ATPase pump in the colonic lining, reducing the reabsorption of water back into the bloodstream. Concurrently, they stimulate the active secretion of chloride and fluid into the bowel lumen. This extra moisture softens the stool, increases bowel volume, and makes passage smooth and effortless.
Complete Supplement Facts & Ingredient Integrity
NOW Foods adheres to strict 100% label honesty. Every capsule contains pure, whole aged bark with no hidden fillers, artificial binders, or unlisted herbal blends.
| Supplement Facts | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size: 1 Veg Capsule | Servings Per Container: 250 | |
| Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) (Bark) | 450 mg | † |
| † Daily Value (DV) not established. | ||
Other Inactive Ingredients: Hypromellose (plant cellulose capsule) and Stearic Acid (vegetable source).
Allergen Information: Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a certified GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens with rigorous cross-contamination sanitization protocols.
Packaging & Identifiers: Item Model SKU: 4623 | UPC: 733739046239 | Form: 250 Vegetarian Capsules | Certified Kosher (Triangle K), Halal, Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan/Vegetarian.
NOW Brand Lab Testing: Uncompromising Quality & Strict Contaminant Limits
Botanical barks collected from wild tree bark can present substantial contamination risks if unverified, including soil heavy metals, fungal mold, pesticide overspray, or adulteration with cheaper look-alike buckthorn species. NOW Foods operates one of the most advanced, in-house analytical testing facilities in the dietary supplement industry, featuring state-of-the-art ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories.
Every single lot of NOW Cascara Sagrada raw material undergoes rigorous analytical screening through four comprehensive testing gates:
| Analytical Instrument | What NOW Tests For | Strict Safety & Health Protection |
|---|---|---|
| HPTLC & HPLC Analysis | Botanical Fingerprint & Species Verification (Rhamnus purshiana) | Ensures 100% authentic Cascara Sagrada bark; screens out adulterants, exhausted barks, and unrelated plant species. |
| ICP-MS (Mass Spectrometry) | Trace Heavy Metals (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury) | Detects toxic minerals down to parts-per-billion (ppb), enforcing purity thresholds far stricter than federal benchmarks. |
| GC-MS/MS & LC-MS/MS | Pesticide Residues, Agricultural Sprays & Chemical Solvents | Screens for hundreds of environmental agrochemicals and volatile solvents to guarantee clean, untreated tree bark. |
| Automated PCR & Plating | Microbiological Safety (Salmonella, E. coli, Yeast, Mold) | Verifies complete absence of bacterial pathogens and harmful spore counts before raw bark enters the encapsulation line. |
NOW’s manufacturing facilities hold third-party Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) certifications from Intertek and the Natural Products Association (NPA), ensuring that every bottle you open meets pharmaceutical-grade sanitary criteria.
Suggested Usage, Critical Precautions & Safe Consumption Windows
Because Cascara Sagrada contains active stimulant anthraquinones, it must be treated as an acute, short-term remedy rather than an everyday dietary maintenance herb. Responsible usage is the cornerstone of digestive health and personal safety.
How to Take:
Take 1 capsule at bedtime with a full 8-ounce glass of water. Stay well-hydrated throughout the following day. Bowel motility typically occurs 6 to 12 hours after administration, producing convenient morning relief. Do not take on an empty stomach if you have a sensitive digestive tract, and never exceed the suggested dose of 1 capsule per day.
The 7-Day Maximum Rule (Why Short-Term Only?):
Do not take continuously for more than 7 consecutive days. Cascara Sagrada is intended solely for intermittent, occasional constipation (such as after long flights, surgery recovery under physician consent, or sudden dietary disruption). Using any stimulant laxative beyond 7 consecutive days creates three significant medical risks (EMA, 2020; National Institutes of Health [NIH] LiverTox, 2017):
- Potassium and Electrolyte Depletion: Prolonged colonic fluid evacuation washes out critical electrolytes, particularly potassium (hypokalemia). Low potassium levels can cause muscle weakness, fatigue, and dangerous disturbances in heart rhythm.
- Bowel Dependency & Cathartic Colon: Over-reliance on stimulant herbs causes the colonic neuromuscular junction to become sluggish. Over time, the colon can lose its natural muscular tone, requiring higher doses to initiate an evacuation.
- Melanosis Coli: Extended anthranoid use can cause a benign, dark pigmentation of the colonic mucosal lining caused by pigment-containing macrophages. While harmless and reversible upon stopping the herb, it is a clear clinical indicator of prolonged overuse.
Contraindications & Drug Interactions:
Absolute Contraindications: Do NOT use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, abdominal pain, intestinal blockage (ileus or bowel obstruction), appendicitis, or active inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Do NOT use if pregnant or nursing (anthraquinones stimulate uterine smooth muscle and pass into breast milk, causing infantile diarrhea). Not for use by children under 12 years of age.
Medication Interactions: Consult a physician before use if you take prescription medications. Cascara Sagrada accelerates intestinal transit, which can reduce the absorption of other oral medications taken simultaneously. Concomitant use with potassium-depleting loop diuretics (e.g., furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) or corticosteroids elevates the risk of severe hypokalemia. If you are taking cardiac glycosides (such as Digoxin), low potassium dramatically amplifies heart toxicity risks.
Why Buy NOW Cascara Sagrada From VitaNet®?
When shopping for dietary supplements that directly impact digestive physiology, where you buy matters just as much as what you buy. Open marketplace platforms often harbor unvetted third-party sellers with expired lots, counterfeit labels, or inventory stored in non-climate-controlled freight containers that degrade botanical potency.
VitaNet®, LLC is an independent, family-owned natural health retailer serving customers online since 1995 with over 31 years of direct nutritional experience[cite: 1]. When you purchase your supplements from VitaNet, you receive authentic, factory-sealed products backed by unmatched consumer protections:
- 100% Risk-Free Money-Back Guarantee: We stand unconditionally behind everything we sell[cite: 1]. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, VitaNet offers a full 100% money-back guarantee and will even pay the return shipping costs—even on opened bottles[cite: 1].
- Direct Authorized Sourcing: Every bottle of NOW Cascara Sagrada comes directly through authorized distribution pipelines into our climate-controlled warehouse facility in Hartville, Ohio[cite: 1].
- High Inventory Turnover: Fresh manufacturing lots ensure you receive botanical herbs at peak enzyme activity and cascaroside potency, well before expiration dates.
- A+ Better Business Bureau Accreditation: Our long-standing A+ BBB rating reflects decades of transparent business practices, genuine customer service, and real human support available by phone[cite: 1].
- Discount Family Pricing: Access an extensive catalog of over 16,000 brand-name natural wellness items at consistent everyday discount prices without corporate markups[cite: 1].
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How fast does NOW Cascara Sagrada work?
Cascara Sagrada typically produces a bowel movement within 6 to 12 hours after ingestion (EMA, 2020). Because it requires time for your colonic gut microflora to activate the natural cascarosides, taking 1 capsule right before bed with water provides predictable, comfortable relief the following morning.