Alder buckthorn

Caution🐾

Faulbaum · (Frangula alnus)

Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae)

Description

Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus, syn. Rhamnus frangula) is a thornless, deciduous shrub of 2 to 6 metres in the buckthorn family, with dark bark and a striking lemon-yellow inner bark. The medicinal part is the dried bark of stems and branches, known as frangula bark (Frangulae cortex). It contains anthraquinone glycosides (glucofrangulin A and B, frangulin A and B) and acts as a mild stimulant laxative on the large intestine. The bark must be stored for at least one year or heat-treated before use, because fresh bark causes violent vomiting.

CONTRAINDICATED during pregnancy

Do not use during pregnancy; stimulant anthraquinone laxatives are not recommended in pregnancy.

CONTRAINDICATED during breastfeeding

Do not use while breastfeeding, as metabolites may pass into breast milk.

CONTRAINDICATED for children

Do not use in children under 12 years of age.

Critical drug interactions with:

Herzglykoside (z. B. Digoxin)

TeaBarkInternalEMA well-established
Short-term occasional constipation
Preparation & dosage
Pour 150 ml of hot water over 0.5 to 2.5 g of dried frangula bark aged at least one year, steep 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. Take once daily, preferably in the evening. The dose is standardised to 10 to 30 mg hydroxyanthracene derivatives (calculated as glucofrangulin A) per day; always use the lowest effective dose. Do not use for longer than one week without medical advice.
Dry amount
0.5–2.5 g
Doses per day
1×
Max duration
1 weeks
⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 12 years — Only for adults and adolescents over 12 years of age.
[#ema_monograph] [#ema_summary] [#wikipedia_de]
TinctureBarkInternalEMA well-established
Standardised extract for constipation
Preparation & dosage
Liquid or standardised dry-extract preparations of frangula bark are dosed to deliver 10 to 30 mg hydroxyanthracene derivatives (as glucofrangulin A) per day. Take once daily in the evening, always at the lowest individually effective dose. Short-term only, maximum one week. Standardised commercial products are more reliably dosed than home-made tinctures.
Doses per day
1×
Max duration
1 weeks
⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 12 years — Only for adults and adolescents over 12 years of age.
[#ema_monograph] [#ema_summary]
TeaBarkInternalTraditional use
Traditional digestive stimulation
Preparation & dosage
Traditionally, a weak infusion of the aged bark was used as a gentle means of stimulating bowel activity and digestion. Steep 0.5 to 2 g of stored bark in 150 ml of hot water for 10 minutes. This use is traditional and not supported by clinical trials; the same safety limits as for the laxative use apply.
Dry amount
0.5–2 g
Doses per day
1×
Max duration
1 weeks
⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 12 years — Only for adults and adolescents over 12 years of age.
[#wikipedia_de] [#wikipedia_en]

🤝 Permaculture Partners

In your garden, this plant acts as:

Pollinator Magnet Medicinal Mid Layer