The side effects and dangers of rhubarb are that overdose and long-term use can cause nausea, dizziness, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, and jaundice.
Rhubarb has the efficacy of diarrhea and attacking accumulation, cooling blood and removing toxins (referring to the treatment of blood-heat and toxin impregnation), expelling blood stasis and opening the channels (removing blood stasis and dredging the meridians), and clearing heat and diarrhea (removing heat and fire from the body).
Rhubarb can be used to treat epistaxis (vomiting of blood and nosebleeds due to blood-heat), constipation due to stagnation, swelling of the eyes and throat, stasis of blood, dysentery due to dampness-heat, sores due to heat, burns, jaundice, and gonorrhea (increased frequency of urination, dribbling and astringent pain).
The toxicity of raw rhubarb is generally low, but overdose can cause poisoning. Fresh rhubarb is more toxic and can cause nausea, dizziness, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, and jaundice.
Overdose and long-term use of rhubarb is the main cause of rhubarb poisoning, so the principle of drug use is to master the dosage and the disease in the stop (for medicinal drugs, the disease is largely cured after the drug should be stopped, so as not to cause damage).
The rhubarb is a strong attacking drug, easy to damage the positive qi, if it is not the actual evidence, can not be used freely. Rhubarb is bitter and cold, easily injuring stomach qi, and should be used with caution in patients with weak spleen and stomach. The nature of rhubarb is subdued, and it can also activate blood circulation and dispel blood stasis, so it should not be used during pregnancy, menstruation, or breastfeeding.
The application of Chinese medicine should be guided by a Chinese medicine practitioner after diagnosis. Do not use the medicine on your own, as this may lead to a misunderstanding of the condition.