Healing Gardens

Chinese/Turkey Rhubarb

 

Family Name:  Buckwheat (3)

Family Name:  Polygonacea (3)

 

Latin Name:  Rheum palmatum (3)

 

Common Name:  Chinese Rhubarb, Turkey Rhubarb

 

Body System Affiliations:  Digestive System (3)

 

Botanical Description:

            Underground Parts:  Rhizome (2:40)

 

 

Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships:  root collected in China and Turkey for medicinal purposes (2:40)

                        Part Used: Rhizome (2:40)

                        Medicinal Actions:  Bitter stomachic (2:40), mild purgative (2:40), astringent (2:40)

                        Indications:  Purgative action used to treat constipation (2:40), astringent action follows purgative action creating “a truly cleansing action upon the gut” (2:40)

                        Body System Associations:

                        Constituents (Optional):  Anthraquinones (2:40), tannins (2:40), bitter aromatic principle  (2:40)

                        Applications:  Decoction (2:40), Tincture (2:40)

                        Preparation: Decoction: .5 to 1 tsp of root in cup of water, bring to boil, simmer gently 10 min.  (2:40)

                        Pharmacy: Decoction: drink morning & evening (2:40),  Tincture: take 1-2 ml 3 times a day (2:40)

                        Other:  may color urine yellow or red (2:40)

                        Cautions:  “should be combined with carminative herbs to relieve any griping that may occur” (2:40)

 

 

References Cited:

 

2. Hoffman, David.  The Herbal Handbook:  A User’s Guide to Medical Herbalism.  Rochester, VT:  Healing Arts Press, 1998.

 

3.  Eloheimo, Marja.  sayuyay Botanical Project:  Educational Garden Plant List.

            The Evergreen State College:  Healing Gardens, 2006.