| Popis: |
Publisher Summary Da huang, or Chinese rhubarb, is one of the most ancient and best-known plants used in Chinese herbal medicine. Rhubarb root has been used for over two thousand years as a mild yet powerful and effective laxative that empties the intestines and cleanses the bowels thoroughly. The anthraquinone glycosides are natural stimulants and produce a purging action, which make it useful for treating chronic constipation as reported by several clinical studies. It is not recommended to use rhubarb preparations for medicinal uses in the presence of intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, abdominal pain, colitis, or Crohn’s disease. It should be avoided or used with great caution by patients with a history of renal stones due its oxalate content. For healthy people, it is safe to use rhubarb in the recommended doses; however, using rhubarb can cause cramping and nausea. When using rhubarb, it is best to use it for no more than 2 weeks at a time. Long-term therapy can alter the body’s normal balance of fluids and minerals, which can trigger irregular heart rhythms, kidney problems, fluid retention, promote bone deterioration, and produce a laxative dependence. Because of its potential to deplete potassium, patients taking cardiac glycosides should use it cautiously. Rhubarb leaves are poisonous because they contain high concentrations of oxalates, unlike the roots and petioles. |
