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Photo of Chinese Rhubarb

Chinese Rhubarb

大黄 · Dà Huáng

Purges heat and gets everything moving again

Properties

CoolingCooling botanicalBitter

What it does

Rhubarb is TCM's go-to when you're backed up: constipation, bloating, and heaviness from excess heat in your gut. It's a powerful purgative, traditionally used to flush out that buildup. Practitioners also use it for missed periods caused by blood stasis, meaning stalled circulation. It's one of TCM's strongest cleansers, so dosing matters a lot.

How to take it

Drink

Steep 3–6g of sliced rhubarb root in hot water for 10–15 minutes. For stronger purgation, simmer. For milder effect, just steep. Start with the lowest dose.

Ask a practitioner for proper dosing. Rhubarb is strong medicine

Safety

  • Strong purgative. Can cause cramping and diarrhea if over-dosed
  • Not for long-term use. Prolonged use can cause electrolyte imbalance
  • Absolutely not safe during pregnancy or while nursing
  • Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication

Where it comes from

Rhubarb was one of the first Chinese medicinal substances to reach Europe. Traded along the Silk Road as early as 114 BCE. Marco Polo mentioned it in his 13th-century travels. For centuries, Chinese rhubarb was more expensive than cinnamon, opium, or saffron in European markets. In TCM, Rhubarb appears in Zhāng Zhòng-Jǐng's foundational formulas including Dà Chéng Qì Tāng (Major Order the Qi Decoction), one of the strongest purgative prescriptions in classical medicine.