INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix et Rhizoma Rhei |
| Common English: | Rhubarb Root and Rhizome |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Bitter |
Cold |
Heart Large Intestine Liver Stomach ( Pericardium) (Spleen) |
3-15g Severe cases: 15-20g Tincture: 2-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Drains Heat and purges accumulations |
Intestinal Heat Excess, with high fever, profuse sweating, thirst, constipation, abdominal distention and pain, delirium, a yellow tongue coat and a full pulse Yang-Ming Fu Stage Qi Level Heat in the Intestines |
Drains Fire |
Fire from Excess with intense fever, sore throat, and painful eyes and constipation Fire toxin sores due to Xue Level Heat, especially with constipation |
Clears Heat, transforms Dampness and promotes urination |
Damp-Heat with edema, jaundice, painful urinary dysfunction and acute, hot dysenteric disorders |
Drains Heat from the Blood |
Bloody stool either from hemorrhoids or Heat in the Intestines Chaotic movement of hot Blood with hemoptysis or epistaxis with constipation It can be powdered and administered orally for bleeding in the upper digestive tract |
Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis |
Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, fixed abdominal masses or fixed pain Blood Stasis due to traumatic injury Intestinal abscess |
Clears Heat and reduces Fire toxicity |
Topically or internally for burns or skin lesions (Chuang Yung) due to Heat |
| Clears Heat and eliminates Phlegm | Chronic Accumulation of Phlegm-Heat with cough, dyspnea, mania, disorientation and other symptoms of Phlegm Misting the Heart |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
|
Sm. Cannabis |
Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata |
|
Unremitting high fever, delirious speech, and constipation |
Moderate constipation Habitual constipation with Deficiency |
Constipation due to Cold accumulation |
Cx. Cinnamomi |
Rz. Coptidis
|
Rz. Coptidis |
Chronic constipation |
A feeling of fullness and distention due to Heat accumulation |
Hematemesis, or epistaxis due to Blood Heat Whole body Damp-Heat |
Fr. Gardeniae |
Rx. Gentianae |
Rx. Kansui
|
Strong pathogenic Heat in the Upper and Middle Jiaos Upward Flaring of Heat attacking the head |
Liver Fire leading to headache and anger with constipation |
Accumulation of pathogenic Heat and fluids in the chest and upper abdomen |
Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae |
Sm. Plantaginis or Caul. Akebiae |
Cx. Moutan |
Jaundice with flank pain |
Hot, painful urinary dysfunction |
Intestinal abscess |
Ram. Cinnamomi |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Hirudo |
Blood Stasis (removes Stasis and unblocks the flow of Qi) Combined Interior/Exterior conditions with chills, headache, fever, sweating and abdominal fullness and pain Abdominal fullness and pain as a result of purging an Exterior condition too soon |
Blood Stasis |
Purges intense Blood Stasis |
Calcined Gypsum |
Natrii Sulfas (Mirabilitum) |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Topically as a plaster for burns |
Eliminates obstruction in the Intestines for severe constipation with passage of liquid but no solid stool Abscess, swellings and toxic sores |
Blazing Heart and Stomach Fire with epistaxis, and hemoptysis Deficiency Fire Parched, dry stools with damaged Yin |
Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae |
Rx. Paeoniae Rubrae |
|
Early-Stage Damp-Heat Jaundice when Heat is stronger than Dampness |
Chronic accumulation in the abdomen, blockage of urine, constipation, Qi rushing upward to the Heart , abdominal distention and rebellious damage from food and drink |
Yang Ming Stage with Qi and Blood Deficiencies |
Rx. Ophiopogonis |
Rz. Coptidis |
|
Constipation with Heat consuming Body fluids |
Constipation with Spleen Yang Deficiency and Accumulation of Cold |
Dysentery with Excess Damp-Heat |
Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata |
Anti-Parasitics |
Rx. Angelicae Dahurice |
Chronic dysentery with accumulation of Damp-Heat and Spleen Yang Deficiency |
Enhances the expulsion of parasites |
Cellulitis on the back with constipation and a forceful pulse |
Sm. Persicae |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
|
Moderate Blood Stasis |
Water Accumulation with edema andabdominal fullness |
Chronic Blood Stasis with Qi and Blood Deficiencies |
Tabanus |
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Amenorrhea |
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- This is an important herb for treating both recent and long term Blood Stasis because it can eliminate extravasated Blood through the bowels and eliminate Heat from Stasis.
- This is a good herb for treating Blood Stasis due to traumatic injury.
- This herb powdered and mixed with sesame oil is used to treat burns.
- This herb is secreted by mother’s milk and is therefore contraindicated for nursing mothers.
- It may cause Blood Stasis in the pelvis and is therefore not suitable during menstruation or pregnancy.
- This herb occurs in most purgative formulas and many Blood Stasis formulas.
- Cooked with grain-based liquor, it can be used for dysentery.
- it is the most commonly used fast-acting purgative in the Chinese pharmacopia.
- People with irritable bowels may experience diarrhea and cramping if given any attacking purgative.
- Raw it can rescue the dying.
- Used alone, it treats upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding.
- It stops bleeding without causing Stagnation.
- It can be used alone or in combination for Blood Stasis.
- For brain bleeding with constipation, use 9g. in 15-20 ml hot water several times/ day using a stomach tube, or enema 1 time/day using 9g. in 200 ml water.
- For tuberculosis patients with bronchiectasis, use 1.5g. Da Huang powder 1-2 times/ day.
- Tao Huang San (Da Huang + Shi Hui {Calcium Oxide} + Ming Fan (Alumen) and water may promote blood clot formation.
- For hepatitis with jaundice, fresh Da Huang may lower transaminase level and relieve jaundice.
- Do not use high dose for an extended period.
- It is said to benefit the Gallbladder and to eliminate Food Stagnation.
- It strongly mobilizes and directly reaches the Lower Jiao.
- It enters the Jue Yin to clear Blood Heat and eliminate Blood Stasis.
- It can be used to expel Phlegm-Heat through the Intestines.
- Both Da Huang and Fr. Crotonis Ba Dou are purgatives, drive out the old to bring in the new, reduce accumulation and harmonize the middle. Da Huang is cold and is used for Heat buildup in the Yang organs, has a low toxicity, breaks up Blood Stasis, clears Damp-Heat and relieves toxicity. Ba Dou is Hot, is used when Cold accumulates internally in the Yin organs and is very toxic.
- Both Da Huang and Natrii Sulfas (Mirabilitum) Mang Xiao drain accumulated to treat clumped Heat in the Large Intestine leading to constipation. Da Huang is bitter and cold, drains Qi Level Heat in Yang Ming disorders, cools the Blood, resolves toxicity and breaks up static accumulations and is used to treat epistaxis, hemoptysis, red, swollen, painful eyes and gynecological abdominal masses. Mang Xiao clears the Large Intestine and softens hardness to treat constipation.
- Steamed Rhubarb Shu Da Huang has moderated downward-draining and cooling properties and is more appropriate for weaker patients. Some sources say that it clears Damp-Heat.
- Wine-washed Rhubarb Jiu Xi Da Huang cools upper Jiao Fire and directs it downward to treat Large Intestine Heat toxin with red eyes, toothache, mouth ulcers and restless Heat in the chest.
- Vinegar Rhubarb Cu Da Huang enables the herb's action to enter the Liver, break up Blood Stasis and Drain Excess Heat form the Blood Level.
- Charred Rhubarb Da Huang Tan reduces the herb's ability to drain downward and break up Blood Stasis, but enables it to stop bleeding to treat hemafecia due to Heat in the Intestines.
- Slices of Pure Tranquility Qing Ning Pian is sold as a prepared medicine and is used for those who cannot tolerate a strong purgative.
- Prepared Rhubarb Zhi Da Huang drains Damp-Heat and clears Heat through the stool.
- This herb is uncommon in that it is used in three major medical traditions, Chinese, Ayurvedic and Greek/Western.