cathartic vs laxative

cathartic

noun
  • A laxative. 

adj
  • Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis. 

  • That which releases emotional tension, especially after an overwhelming experience. 

laxative

noun
  • Any substance, such as a food or in the form of a medicine which has a laxative effect. 

adj
  • Having the effect of moving the bowels, or aiding digestion and preventing constipation. 

How often have the words cathartic and laxative occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )