Cascara sagrada, which translates as "sacred bark," has been traditionally used to support digestion and healthy bowel movements.* The bark is taken from a deciduous tree found throughout the northern United States. The bark is harvested in quills and aged for at least one year to allow the anthrone constituents to oxidize, which prevents intestinal cramping when drunk as a tea.*

In recent times, cascara sagrada has been used as an ingredient in sun screen products, as well as a flavoring agent in foods such as candy, frozen dairy desserts, and baked goods. Because of its taste, tea from cascara sagrada may be hard to hard to drink, but it has a gentler laxative action than more concentrated forms of the herb.*