Buckthorn laxative (zhoster laxative) – rhamnus cathartica l.
Popular names: prickly buckthorn, joster, breast berries, buckthorn, shaklak.
Botanical characteristic. The buckthorn family. A branched shrub or small tree, the branches of which end in thorns (a sign that distinguishes it from alder buckthorn). Branches and leaves are arranged oppositely. Leaves ovate or elliptic, finely serrate-toothed. The flowers are small, yellowish green. Blooms in May – June. The fruits ripen in August – September (Fig. 26).
Spreading. It occurs in the forest and forest-steppe zones, sometimes forming thickets among shrubs, on forest edges, along river valleys, hillsides in the European part of the USSR, Western Siberia and Kazakhstan, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Medicinal raw materials. Harvest fruits in the period of full maturity (black) in September – October. For collection, portable ladders and hooks are used to bend branches. The fruits are manually folded into baskets or buckets. First, they are dried in air, spread out in a thin layer (2-3 cm) on nets or sheets, and then placed in a dryer or Russian oven at a temperature not exceeding 50-60 ° C. Store dry for up to 4 years.
Chemical composition. Mature fruits of the plant contain 0.76% anthraglycosides, flavone glycosides, sugar, pectin, bitter, tannic and other substances. The leaves are rich in vitamin C.
pharmacological properties. The therapeutic effect is due to the presence of anthraglycosides in the fruits of the plant, the mechanism of action of which is similar to those of buckthorn bark.
Application. In practice, the fruits of joster are used in the form of a decoction or infusion as a good and safe laxative for chronic, atonic and spastic constipation. They are used in animals for the same indications and doses as buckthorn bark.
Horses
Rp.: Fructus Rhamni catharticae 100.0
DS Pour 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, leave for 40 minutes, strain, squeeze out the contents and drink (laxative).