Witnessed by: TCM · Western · Unani
Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), of the Polygonaceae family. Stout perennial herb with large palmate leaves and a thick yellow rhizome; native range: Mountains of western China and eastern Tibet. Globally recognized as rewand chini in Hindi, da huang (大黃) in Chinese, rawand in Arabic, and Turkey rhubarb, medicinal rhubarb, da huang in English. The part used is root and rhizome. A heavy ochre-yellow root, bitter and faintly astringent, gritty with calcium-oxalate crystals, staining saliva yellow.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
CHINESE RHUBARB
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Chinese rhubarb
- Scientific name
- Rheum palmatum L.
- Family
- Polygonaceae
Form
- Part used
- root and rhizome
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter
- Western
- bitter · astringent
- Unani
- bitter · astringent
Temperature
- TCM
- cold
- Western
- cool
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Stomach · Large Intestine · Liver · Spleen
- Western
- bowels · liver · stomach · digestion
- Unani
- liver · stomach · intestines
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- drains heat and purges accumulation, cools the blood and stops bleeding, moves stagnant blood, clears damp-heat and drains fire
- Western
- purgative in full dose yet astringent and stomachic in small dose, bitter tonic, cholagogue
- Unani
- mus-hil (purgative), mundij wa musfi (ripener and cleanser of bile), muqawwi-e-meda wa jigar (tonic to stomach and liver)
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation and menstruation, weak cold digestion without accumulation; prolonged use
Toxicity: griping and cramping in large dose; chronic use depletes fluids and potassium and may colour the urine
Interactions
- Western
- cardiac glycosides: anthraquinone purging causes potassium loss, potentiating glycoside toxicity · diuretics: additive potassium depletion with chronic laxative use
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