The efficacy of rhubarb in traditional Chinese medicine mainly includes diarrhea, clearing heat and fire (removing heat and fire from the body); removing blood stasis and clearing the channels (removing blood stasis and clearing the channels); and promoting dampness and eliminating yellowish color.
1. Laxative, clearing heat and fire: rhubarb is bitter in flavor, with significant laxative effect, and because of its cold nature, it also has the effect of clearing heat and fire. For solid heat caused by constipation, the best effect.
2. Expelling blood stasis and clearing menstruation: rhubarb can activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis (promoting blood circulation and eliminating blood stasis in the body) as well as clearing collaterals and channels, which is effective for amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain with stagnation, bruises and injuries, and obstruction in the abdomen (the appearance of tangible or intangible lumps in the abdomen, with a feeling of distension and pain).
3. Promoting dampness and eliminating yellow: rhubarb has the effect of promoting dampness and eliminating yellow, and can promote the discharge of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder (the accumulation of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder) in jaundice caused by damp-heat accumulation in the liver, redness in urine, and diarrhea caused by damp-heat dysentery (dysentery due to damp-heat evils).
Rhubarb acts swiftly and is suitable for patients who have stagnation in the body and are solid in nature. It should be taken with caution in pregnant women and those who are physically weak. Adverse effects are not known.
It is recommended to apply on the basis of traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis to avoid taking the medicine privately, which may cause adverse reactions.