Chinese Rhubarb is an ingredient in essiac

Chinese rhubarb, Rheum palmatum, is also called chinghai rhubarb, East Indian rhubarb, ornamental rhubarb and Turkey rhubarb. It is closely related to edible rhubarb, and to another plant also called Chinese rhubarb, Rheum officinale, which is not as active medicinally. There’s also another plant called Turkey rhubarb, Acetosa sagittata syn. Rumex sagittatus, but I can find no reference to any medicinal value in this plant, which is easy to distinguish from this plant, as it has arrow shaped leaves similar to bindweed.

Chinese rhubarb is a native of north west China often grown as an ornamental, a hardy perennial which can reach a height of 9 feet (3m), and spread over an area of about 6 feet (2m). It grows best in moist but well drained medium to heavy soil, but is not fussy as to acidity. It will not grow in full shade.

Chinese rhubarb can be raised from seed sown in a cold frame in autumn or spring, or by dividing existing plants (with a sharp knife or spade) in early spring or autumn; these can be grown on in pots in a cool, semi-shaded area until large enough to plant out.

Before I go any further, I have to make it clear that all kinds of rhubarb have the same property: their leaves are poisonous (which is why cooks throw them away).The stems are generally used in the kitchen, but even they should be treated with caution by anyone who suffers from arthritis, gout, hyperacidity, kidney stones or rheumatism. For long term use it’s better to use another remedy for anybody who falls into these categories, though treatment of acute short term conditions would probably be ok. Gardeners sometimes use the leaves to make an insecticide and a treatment for club root.

Chinese rhubarb is not suitable for pregnant women, nursing mothers or anybody who has an intestinal obstruction.

The part used in herbal medicine is the root, which is harvested from 6-year old plants, so unless you have the patience of a saint or an already established plant of this age, it’s really not practicable to grow it for home use. The roots are available from Chinese herbalists, however, under the name Da Huang.

The main reason this herb is included here is that Chinese rhubarb is one of the main ingredients of essiac along with sheep’s sorrel, great burdock and slippery elm.

Unusually, this herb is prepared as a cold extract. Soak in cold water for 8-10 hours, then discard the root and use the liquid. Taking 1 tablespoon of this 2-3 times a day works as a laxative, but halving the quantities will act to stop diarrhea – if it doesn’t work at this strength, try reducing the amount further the following day, or use another remedy. In any case, if you suffer from diarrhea for more than a couple of days, you should take medical advice. The extract can also be used externally to treat burns.

If you intend to grow this yourself, it’s important to follow organic methods to ensure that the extract remains unsullied by foreign chemicals. To find out more about growing organic herbs visit the Gardenzone.

Related Posts

1. Sheep's Sorrel
2. Great Burdock
3. Slippery elm

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