Pharmaceutical Name:

Radix et Rhizome Rhei

Botanical Name:

Rheum palmatum L.
Rheum officinale Baill.
Rheum tanguticum Maxim. Ex Balf.

Common Name:

Rhubarb

Source of Earliest Record:

Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

The roots, or rhizomes, are dug in autumn or spring.  After the fibrous roots and bark have been removed, the roots are cut into pieces and dried in the sun.

Properties and Taste:

Bitter and cold

Meridian:

Spleen, stomach, large intestines and liver

Functions:

To promote bowel movement
To reduce fire and release toxins
To invigorate blood

Indications and Combinations:

1.     Constipation:

a)       Heat accumulated in constipation .
*Use with Glauber's salt (Mangxiao) in the formula Da Chengqi Tang.

b)       Cold accumulation in constipation.
*Use with Prepared aconite root (Fuzi) and Dried ginger (Ganjiang) in the formula Wenpi Tang.  

c)       Constipation with heat accumulation and damage to yin .
*Use with Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang), Scrophularia (Xuanshen) and Ophiopogon root (Maidong) in the formula Zengye Chengqi Tang.

2.      Extravasation due to heat in the blood manifested as vomiting with blood and epistaxis, or upward attack by pathogenic fire manifested as red, painful and swollen eyes, sore throat and painful and swollen gums. 
*Use with Coptis root (Huanglian) and Scutellaria root (Huangqin) in the formula Xiexin Tang.

3.     Boils, carbuncles and furuncles.
*Use with Peach seed (Taoren) and Moutan bark (Mudanpi).

4.      Stagnation of blood manifested as amenorrhea, postpartum retention of lochia, postpartum abdominal pain, abdominal masses and traumatic injury.
*Use with Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong), Peach seed (Taoren), Safflower (Honghua) and Moutan bark (Mudanpi).

Dosage:

3-12 g

Cautions:

The raw herb is strong in moving feces.  Fried with wine, the herb is good for invigorating blood.  The carbonized herb is applied during hemorrhagic disease.  Over boiling of the herb weakens the function of purgation.  This herb is contraindicated during menstruation and pregnancy.