Traditional use: Used for centuries in European herbal medicine as a laxative for chronic constipation; the dried, aged bark was a well-established remedy in both folk and official pharmacopoeias for sluggish bowel function and hemorrhoids. 

Potential benefits: Anthraquinone glycosides (frangulin A and B) act as stimulant laxatives by promoting peristalsis and reducing water reabsorption in the colon; they are considered gentler than senna and cascara for short-term constipation relief.

Warnings: Fresh bark is toxic — must be aged at least one year or heat-dried before use; long-term use causes electrolyte imbalance, potassium loss, and laxative dependence; contraindicated in pregnancy, bowel obstruction, and inflammatory bowel disease.