Am.  Jour.  Pharm.\ 
March,  1896.  J 
Bitter  less  Cascara  Sagrada. 
135 
BITTERLESS  CASCARA  SAGRADA.- 
By  Henry  B.  Gilpin. 
The  extended  use  of  Rhamnus  Purshiana,  or  Cascara  Sagrada,  as 
it  is  more  usually  termed,  has  led  to  frequent  attempts  to  improve 
the  various  pharmaceutical  preparations  of  this  valuable  drug.  The 
researches  of  various  investigators  have  proved  that  the  laxative 
properties  of  the  bark  are  undoubtedly  due  to  principles  similar  in 
their  medical  properties,  and,  to  a  considerable  extent,  in  their 
chemical  composition,  to  those  contained  in  rhubarb  and  frangula. 
Cascara  Sagrada  differs  materially,  however,  from  rhubarb  on  account 
of  the  presence  of  a  bitter,  crystalline  principle.  Meier  and  Webber 
assert  that  the  drug  also  contains  a  ferment,  to  which  is  attributed 
the  griping  effects  of  the  fresh  bark,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  our 
Pharmacopoeia  should  insert  in  its  definition  a  requirement  that  the 
bark  should  be  kept  at  least  one  year  after  its  collection  before 
being  used,  as  is  the  case  with  the  definition  of  frangula  bark. 
The  bitter  principle  has  been  regarded  by  many  as  objectionable, 
and  as  interfering  with  the  continued  use  of  the  drug  as  a  laxative. 
The  resinous  constituents  are,  without  doubt,  the  cause  of  the  purga- 
tive action.  The  pharmaceutical  problem  which  is  presented,  then, 
is  to  provide  a  preparation  which  will  contain  all  the  resinous  con- 
stituents, but  free  from  bitterness  ;  and  with  this  object  in  view,  a 
process  has  been  devised  for  making  a  powder  which  may  be  used 
for  the  liquid  preparations,  such  as  fluid  extract,  tincture,  syrup,  etc. 
BITTERLESS  POWDERED  CASCARA  SAGRADA. 
Grammes. 
Take  of  powdered  Cascara  Sagrada  500 
"        licorice  root   .  no 
Magnesia  (calcined)  10 
Powdered  cloves   5 
The  powders  are  thoroughly  mixed,  transferred  to  a  "  power 
kneader,"  and  then  moistened  with  sufficient  water;  after  being 
thoroughly  kneaded,  the  mass  is  transferred  to  a  closed  drying 
chamber,  and  subjected  to  a  uniform  temperature  of  1800  F.  for 
forty-eight  hours.  The  moisture  is  then  permitted  to  escape  from 
the  chamber,  and  the  powder  thoroughly  dried,  after  which  it  is 
repowdered  and  sifted. 
It  will  be  observed  that  aromatics  are  added  with  a  view  to  im- 
proving the  taste,  and  the  preparations  made  from  the  powder  are 
free  from  bitterness,  whilst  the  laxative  properties  are  unimpaired. 
Baltimore,  February  12,  1896. 
