The great Renaissance botanist, Andrea Mattioli, an edition commented of the medical Matter of Dioscórides published in 1554, in which it said, according to mentions Font Quer, that "the crust of frángula is laxative a very smooth one, that cleans the liver admirably (...) But single it must be used dry; green it produces vomits."
It did not happen unnoticed, to this illustrious pioneer of the botany, the peculiar process that occurs in the crust of frángula: fresh it is toxic, and it has an intense vomitivo effect. But, with time, it is losing its toxicity spontaneously, and acquiring a remarkable medicinal virtue. After a year of drying, the crust of frángula becomes an appreciated remedy against the constipation.
Habitat: abundant in the forests and humid places of Europe and North half of Spain. Well-known and used in the American continent, where also the Rhamnus species grows up purshiana (sagrada rind, plant that appears after this) whose medicinal properties are similar to those of the Rhamnus frangula.
Description: shrub of the family of the Ramnáceas, 2-3 m of height, without thorns, with small flowers of five petals. It gives like fruit berries of red color in summer, and shining black in autumn, when they mature.
Used parts: the dried crust of the trunk and the branches.
Properties and indications: the active principles of the crust of frángula are the antraquinónicos glucósidos ones, that grant the following properties to him:
Laxative of smooth, but effective action. It causes retortijones, neither liquid evacuations, nor other own secondary upheavals of the irritating laxatives. It either does not produce loss of potassium and other mineral salts, nor secondary colitis, facts that are often observed in the habitual users of chemical laxatives. And, in case outside little, the intestine is not become accustomed its use, reason why their effects remain constant although it interferes during long time. It is then ideal for those who have been suffering of intestinal laziness for many years, and that already has proven diverse laxatives, without too much success, and sometimes with desirable indirect effect nothing. These patients, who usually are women, if they want to overcome this disagreeable ailment, must follow in addition a diet curls in vegetal fiber.
Colerética: as the Mattioli botanist said, the crust of frángula also favors the good operation of the liver by its colerético effect. The patients of acute and chronic hepatitis, diverse hepatopatías or even of cirrhosis, will benefit from their use.
Use: decocción with 20-30 grs. of crushed crust, it ages (of a year at least), in the middle liter of water. To boil during 20 minutes; if it is let rest during hours, increases his effectiveness; to filter and to take 1-2 cups, preferably at night, so that it produces effect to the following morning.
Precautions: the crust of frángula is not due to along with take sódico bicarbonate, salt of fruits, magnesia milk or any other alkaline one, because its effect is seen remarkably diminished. One advises against his use in case of pregnancy, lactancia, menstruation and hemorroidal crisis (hemorroides inflamed).