Rheum rhabarbarum
From Wikiwel
Other Names: Rheum Rhaponticum, Wild Rhubarb, Garden Rhubarb
See also :
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)
- Pregnant and nursing women should not use Chinese Rhubarb Root Herbal Supplement (it is a uterine stimulant)
- It should not be used by those who suffer from colitis or have intestinal obstruction
- 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.
- Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with RHUBARB
- Medications for inflammation (Corticosteroids) interacts with RHUBARB
- Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs) interacts with RHUBARB
- Medications that can harm the kidneys (Nephrotoxic Drugs) interacts with RHUBARB
- Stimulant laxatives interacts with RHUBARB
- Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with RHUBARB
- Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with 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.
- Cancer : Researchers have found that baking British garden rhubarb for 20 minutes dramatically increases its levels of anti-cancerous chemicals
- Leukemia : A research effort at Winship Cancer Institute recently identified a substance in orange lichen and rhubarb that has the potential to be used as a new anti-cancer drug. The substance, an orange pigment known as parietin or physcion, slows the growth and can even kill leukemia cells harvested from patients, without obvious toxic effects on human cells, the study authors report.
