Decoctions made from the blackthorn bark were traditionally suggested to have what kind of effects?
Answer
Diuretic or astringent effects
While the fruit itself traditionally targeted the digestive system, historical uses of the blackthorn plant extended to its bark. Sources indicate that decoctions, or infusions made by boiling the bark, were historically utilized in folk remedies for their purported astringent effects or as a diuretic agent, meaning they were thought to increase urine output. This shows a differentiation in traditional application between the compounds found in the fruit versus those extracted from the bark of *Prunus spinosa*.
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