Detailed introduction to Herbs, traditional Chinese medicines, medical raw materials, Rhubarb, Da huang, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei:
Rhubarb (da huang)
Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
Properties: Bitter in flavour, cold in nature, it acts on the spleen, stomach, large intestine, heart and liver channels. Bitter and cold for clearing heat, lowing and sinking downward, the herb has effects of clearing the bowels, easing the bowel movement, and releasing stagnation in gastro-intestinal tract, fire of excess type and toxic heat, so it is an important herb for constipation due to accumulation of heat of excess type, and gastro-intestinal fecal impaction due to heat and to heat. The herb also acts on blood, heart and liver, removes the pathogenic heat and toxic material from the blood, promotes blood circulation to relieve blood stasis, resolves furuncles and carbuncles due to blood heat, blood stasis, etc. In addition, it is effective for eliminating dampness and heat, normalizing function of gallbladder and treating stranguria.
Effects: purging heat, loosening the bowels, removing heat from the blood, clearing toxins, promoting blood circulation to relieve blood stasis.
Indications:
1. Febrile disease and stagnation in gastro-intestinal tract, with symptoms of high fever, delirium, abdominal distension, constipation, which are defined as an excessive heat syndrome in the interior caused by accumulation of heat in the gastro-inrtestinal tract. During treatment, it is often used in combination with mirabilite (Natrii sulphas) and unripen bitter orange (Fructus Aurantii imaturus) for eliminating heat and loosening the bowels, and purging down digestive Qi and abdominal distension. Major Decoction for purging Down Digestive Qi or Minor Decoction for Purging Down Qi are commonly used. For constipation of cold stagnant nature, and obdominal distension and stabbing pain, the Decoction for Warming the Spleen is usually used in combination. The prepared lateral root of aconite (Radix Acontii lateralis Preparata) and Dried ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis) are used in the decoction for purging away the damp accumulation, warming the spleen and loosening the decoction for purging away the damp accumulation, warming the spleen and loosening the bowels.
2. Diseases caused by excess of heat in the interior and toxic heat, such as acute pharyngitis, acute conjunctivitis, sore throat, etc. It is often used with the heat clearing and detoxicating drugs as honeysuckle flower (Flos Lonicerae), coptis root (Rhizoma Coptidis) and capejasmine (Fructus Gardeniae), coptis root (Rhizoma Coptidis) and capejasmine (Fructus Gardeniae); for acute appendicitis or periappendicular abscess and abdominal pain, mirabite (Natrii Sulphas) and peach kernel (Semen Persicae) are used in combination; for bleeding due to blood heat, drugs for removing heat and toxic material, and hemostatics are used in combination.
3. Amenorrhea or abdominal pain due to blood stasis, abdominal mass, traumatic ecchymoma. The herbs for promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, such as Chinese angelicae root (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), chuanxiong root, peach kernel and ground beetle are used in combination.
4. Damp heat jaundice and excess-heat constipation. Oriental wormwood (Herba Artemisiae capillaries) and capejasmine fruit (Fructus Gardeniae) are used in combination to clear the heat, remove the dampness and relieve jaundice, as in Oriental Wormwood Decoction. In addition, it can also be used to treat stranguria and dysentery caused by damp heat.
Dosage and Administration: 3-12g, the unprepared herb has drastic actions of purgation, the prepared herb have mild actions and the carbonized one is usually used in hemorrhagic condition.
Precautions: It should be given cautiously or prohibited for women during pregnancy, menstruation and breast --feeding period.