da huang

大黄·Radix et Rhizoma Rhei

Rhubarb Root And Rhizome

About da huang

Da Huang (大黄) is rhubarb root and rhizome, recorded as Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. It is bitter in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Heart, Liver, Stomach and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it first among the purgatives, and records seven distinct actions for it — more than almost any other herb in the collection.

Names

Pinyinda huang
Chinese大黄
Latin NameRadix et Rhizoma Rhei·Rheum Palmatum
English NameRhubarb Root And Rhizome
Japanesedaio
Koreandaehwang

Classification

Channels
Large Intestine, Stomach, Heart, Liver
Flavour
Bitter
Temperature
Cold
Family
Polygonaceae
Species
Rheum palmatum|Rheum tanguticum|Rheum officinale
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Drains Heat and purges accumulation

  • Excess Heat in the Intestines with constipation, a distended and painful abdomen, high fever, heavy sweating, thirst and delirium; the tongue coat is yellow and the pulse full
  • Yang Ming Fu-organ pattern
  • Heat at the Qi level lodged in the Intestines

Drains Fire

  • Excess Fire with high fever, sore throat, painful eyes and constipation
  • Sores from Fire toxin with Heat at the Blood level, especially when the bowels are blocked

Clears Heat, transforms Damp and promotes urination

  • Damp-Heat showing as jaundice, edema, painful urinary dysfunction or acute hot dysentery, with the Damp-Heat drained out through the stool

Drains Heat from the Blood

  • Blood in the stool from hemorrhoids or from Intestinal Heat
  • Heat driving the Blood out of its vessels, with nosebleed or coughing or vomiting of blood, and constipation
  • Bleeding in the upper digestive tract, taken by mouth as a powder

Invigorates Blood and dispels stasis

  • Blood stasis with absent or painful periods, fixed abdominal masses or tumors, or pain in a fixed place
  • Stasis after traumatic injury
  • Intestinal abscess

Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity

  • Burns and skin lesions from Heat (Chuang Yung), applied to the skin or taken internally
  • Fever and swollen eyes from toxic Heat

Clears Heat and eliminates Phlegm

  • Long-standing Phlegm-Heat with cough, labored breathing, mania, confusion and other signs of Phlegm misting the Heart

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 3-15g; Severe cases: 15-20g; Tincture: 2-4ml3-15 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

da huang shu

熟大黄·Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma Preparatum

Da huang shu (熟大黄) is the wine-prepared form of da huang, the root and rhizome of rhubarb, a Polygonaceae species supplied as Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma Preparatum. The catalogue files it among the purgatives, on the Heart, Large Intestine, Liver and Stomach channels.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows da huang.