Chinese RhubarbRheum palmatum L. Rheium tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf. Rheium officinale Baill. Chinese Rhubarb written as 大黄 , pronounced Da-huang, is used to treat "constipation due to excessive heat..." according to Applied Illustrated Compendium Of Materia Medica. Excessive heat to Chinese physicians means that the stools are hard and dry, accompanied by bloating, cramping, bad breathe, dryness of the mouth and irritation. The tricky part is to know how much and how to prepare this herb: From what I can gather lower dosage for diarrhea and higher dosage for constipation. Extended use can cause dependency and aggravate the constipation. For decoction, the ideal boiling time is 10 minutes, more than that will reduce its laxative property. What are the constituents that contribute to laxative effect of rhubarbs? Stimulant anthraquinones including sennosides a-f,rhein, emodin, and aloe emodin. To stimulate peristalsis and bowel-reflex nerve of the colon , there's the anthrone glycosides. There are also high levels of tannins which counterbalance the laxative effect. Used in small doses, the tannins predominate, thus producing a constipating effect. In my city, they sell da-huang in the form of dried roots. For less than USD0.15, you get enough to make the minimum dosage - 3 to 12g. So cheap. Beginning 1657, Russians did all they could to monopolise da-huang trade for years until 1863. Today, this much sought after herb is available for a humble price. I cannot imagine these shriveled rhizomes used to be part of a beautiful plant, which can grow to a height of 2 meters - taller than my door. Sometimes, instead of ending up as medicine, da-huang is kept as an ornamental plant because people like its leaves that resemble human palms and tiny spiked red flowers! When the owners become constipated, they can dig out the roots to get the anthraquinones. Err, before you dig out your home-grown da-huang roots...I better mention the fresh roots are very powerful. Another name in Chinese for da-huang is "jiang-jun", an army general like a general who is ready to spring into action, it works fast and powerful! The processed da-huang is not that strong. Categorized as poisonous since ancient times, this herb should be treated with respect. It's not a good idea to self-medicate yourself with this stuff, especially for an extended period. Nausea, vomiting, vertigo, cramps, jaundice ( da-huang literally means big yellow ha ha ) and other problems are results of overdose. People have died from eating the calcium oxalates and anthrone glycosides in the leaves.
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