Difference between revisions of "Rheum rhabarbarum"

Revision as of 02:46, 21 December 2013

Other Names: Chinese Rhubarb, Da Huang, Garden Rhubarb, Himalayan Rhubarb, Indian Rhubarb, Medicinal Rhubarb, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Rewandchini, Rhei, Rhei Radix, Rheum australe, Rheum emodi, Rheum hybridum, Rheum officinale, Rheum palmatum, Rheum rhabarbarum, Rheum tanguticum, Rheum x cultorum, Rhubarbe, Rhubarbe de Chine, Rhubarbe Indienne, Rhubarbe Médicinale, Rhubarbe Palmée, Rhubarbe Potagère, Rhubarbe Turque, Ruibarbo, Tai Huang, Turkey Rhubarb.

Special Precautions of Rhubarb

• It should be noted that rhubarb, while tart and nutritious, is toxic to humans if the top leaves are consumed (only eat the red stalks, or petioles)
• Kidney stones : Rhubarb is high in calcium, more than a comparable cup of milk. Unfortunately, the calcium is in the form of calcium oxalate, which blocks absorption of calcium not only from the ingested rhubarb itself, but also from any other food eaten at the same time. Cooking converts the oxalic acid into an inorganic crystalline form which can build up into kidney stones. Those who tend to develop kidney stones with oxalate content should avoid rhubarb.
• Diarrhea or constipation: Rhubarb can make diarrhea or constipation worse, depending on the preparation used.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) conditions: Don’t take rhubarb if you have a bowel obstruction; appendicitis; unexplained stomach pain; or inflammatory conditions of the intestines including Crohn's disease, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Kidney disease: There is a chemical in rhubarb that might harm the kidneys. In fact, a supplement that contained rhubarb has been linked to one report of kidney failure. If you already have kidney disease, don’t risk making it worse by taking rhubarb.

The benefits of Rhubarb are

• Rhubarb is used primarily for digestive complaints including constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, stomach pain, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, and preparation for certain GI diagnostic procedures.
• Some people use rhubarb so they have to strain less during bowel movements; this reduces pain from hemorrhoids or tears in the skin lining the anal canal (anal fissures).
• Rhubarb is sometimes applied to the skin to treat cold sores.