Most constipation cases have a functional reason; this is to say, trauma to the intestine was not responsible. Therefore, the herbs for constipation that we recommend possess a specific action that helps alleviate functional constipation due to their mild physiological laxative properties.
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When constipation does not disappear after administering any of these laxative plants for three or four days, you should immediately consult with a physician.
Top Herbs for Constipation
HEMP AGRIMONY: Not only does this herb relieve congestion of the liver and purifies the blood, but it also possesses laxative properties.
BOLDO: This herb is mildly laxative, probably because of the higher flow of bile in the intestine, which this plant provokes.
DANDELION: This is one of the top herbs for constipation because it is a mild laxative that is nonirritating. It is especially beneficial in the case of intestinal atony. Its laxative properties, along with its detoxifying effect, make this plant a good remedy for eczema, rashes, pimples, and cellulitis, which are all caused by internal toxicity due to constipation.
CHICORY: This herb activates intestinal motility. A cup of chicory infusion on an empty stomach in the morning is considered the best herbal tea for constipation, helping combat intestinal laziness. It also possesses mild vermifuge properties, which helps to expel intestinal parasites.
TINNEVELLY SENNA: This plant is an excellent herbal laxative because it eases soft feces’ emission, with no colic.
PURGING CASSIA: This plant’s components give it laxative properties, which lack any purgative or irritant effect on the intestine. It is among the best herbs for constipation, mainly due to the mildness of its soothing and healing properties for children and older adults with pre-existing conditions.
FLAX: Flax lubricates the digestive tract, making the feces softer. Moreover, it regenerates the intestinal flora, regulating the putrefaction and fermentation process. Its effect is thus evident since, in the case of intestinal putrefaction, feces lose their putrid odor.
Psyllium Could Provide Immediate Relief
HIGH MALLOW: This plant acts as a nonaggressive laxative, even when taken in large doses, lubricating the intestinal tract. We highly recommend it for children and older people.
PSYLLIUM: This herb is an excellent addition to the list of home remedies for constipation that could provide immediate relief. It increases the volume of feces and makes them softer, which allows it to pass easily through the digestive tract, demanding less peristaltic effort from the colon. All of these facts result in a mild laxative effect, with no cramps or irritation, without creating an addiction or producing potassium or mineral salts loss, that is to say, without undesirable side effects. You can continue to use psyllium for months or years because of the mucilage that it contains. It is very beneficial in treating chronic constipation and its consequences, such as hemorrhoids or colon diverticulosis. It also prevents those conditions.
ALDER BUCKTHORN: This herbal laxative does not produce cramps, liquid defecation, or other side effects relative to irritants. It does not cause loss of potassium or any mineral salts, nor right lower side colitis, facts often observed in the case of chemical laxatives. The intestine does not get accustomed to its use, so its effects are constant even when taken for long periods. The alder buckthorn is one of the herbs for constipation ideal for those suffering from intestinal laziness that lasts for years and has tried diverse laxative substances such as magnesium laxatives with no success, sometimes with undesirable side effects.
CASCARA SAGRADA: Although this herb is a potent purgative, in therapeutic doses, it is relatively well-tolerated and does not cause cramps or colitis. You can use it for long periods, unlike chemical laxatives. Therefore, this plant is at the top of the list of herbs for constipation, especially for older people.
List of Laxative Plants
Laxative plants ease the evacuation of feces, whether by increasing the amount of water they contain, stimulating the intestine’s peristaltic activity (contractions), or increasing bile secretion. Unlike chemically synthesized laxative medicine substances, which exert an irritant on the intestinal wall, these laxative herbs do not provoke residual colitis as a side effect.
| Plant | Parts Used |
| Cactus | Fruit |
| Olive tree | Fruit |
| Irish moss | The whole plant |
| Blackthorn | Flowers |
| Hemp agrimony | Leaves, root |
| Fumitory | The whole plant except the root |
| Boldo | Leaves |
| Female fern | Rhizome |
| Dandelion | Leaves, root |
| Papaya tree | Fruit |
| Chicory | Leaves, root |
| Tinnevelly senna | Leaves |
| Purging cassia | Fruit |
| Bladder senna | Leaves |
| Flax | Seeds |
| High mallow | Flowers, leaves |
| Apple tree | Fruit |
| Psyllium | Seeds |
| Purslane | Leaves, stems |
| Patience dock | Leaves, root |
| Tamarind | Fruit |
| Wild strawberry | Fruit |
| Cherry tree | Fruit |
| Mugwort | Leaves, flower clusters, root |
| Shepherd’s purse | The whole plant |
| Asparagus | Stems, root |
| Ash tree | Mana tears |
| Fig tree | Fruit |
| Pansy | The whole fruit |
| Garden raspberry | Fruit |
| Black elder | Fruit |
The Laxative Effect of Plants is Due to Three Mechanisms
- An increase in the amount of water that feces contain, which makes them more voluminous and softer. These are hydrophilic laxative substances, whose most crucial active component is mucilage (as in flax, plantain, high mallow, pansy, psyllium).
- By stimulating peristaltic activity (contractions). The most important active components of these plants are antrachinonic glycosides; when taken in high doses, they act as purgative (as in the case of tinnevelly senna, purging cassia, alder buckthorn).
- The bile flows into the small intestine (duodenum), where it is most needed for digestion by provoking the gall bladder’s emptying. In high amounts, bile has a laxative effect (as in dandelion, boldo, and fumitory)
REFERENCES
- George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 1 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 388, 390, 397. Print.
- George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 440, 492, 494, 508, 511, 515, 526, 528. Print. [herbs for constipation]
Last update on 2023-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
