cascara
UK: kæˈskɑːrə | US: kæˈskɑrə
n. 1. The dried bark of certain trees (e.g., Rhamnus purshiana), used medicinally as a laxative.
n. 2. A tree whose bark yields cascara.
The word cascara comes directly from Spanish cáscara, meaning "bark" or "peel," derived from the Latin quassicare (to shake or break apart). The term entered English in the late 19th century, specifically referencing the medicinal bark of the cascara buckthorn tree. The Spanish root reflects its colonial-era use in herbal medicine, where the bark was harvested and traded.
Cascara is commonly used in herbal remedies for its laxative properties.
The cascara tree grows abundantly in the Pacific Northwest.
Pharmacists once prescribed cascara as a gentle digestive aid.
Indigenous communities traditionally prepared cascara as a tea.
Modern research has explored cascara's bioactive compounds.