Manna

Manna is a drug from the manna ash tree. Manna is used in constipation or diseases where bowel evacuation is desired. The drug is obtained the incisions in the stem and branch bark of the flowering ash tree. The extracted sap is dried in the air.

Manna contains 70 to 90 % of the sugar alcohol D-mannitol (syn. mannitol), which can hardly be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, manna contains 10 to 16 % of the sugar stachyose.

Manna has a laxative effect.

Manna is used for constipation or in cases where bowel evacuation with soft bowel movements is desired (for example anal fissures, haemorrhoids or after rectal-anal surgery).

For adults, the daily dose of the drug is between 20 and 30 g, for children the dose is between 2 and 16 g per day. The drug is mainly taken in combination with figs.

Sensitive persons may experience nausea and flatulence.

If the intestine is obstructed, the patient should refrain from taking it.

There are no known interactions with other drugs.

1. Schilcher H (Ed.) in, Guide to Phytotherapy, Urban & Fischer Verlag (2016) Munich, p. 214.