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Da Huang in TCM:

• Strongly purges accumulations ( yangming organ heat: thirst, constipation;excess heat in intestines, abdominal distension and pain; delerium; yellow tongue coat, full pulse)
• Drains damp heat (acute, hot dysenteric disorder; damp heat jaundice; PUD; also excess edema, fluid retention)
• Clears heat, drains fire, stops bleeding (fever, sore throat, red swollen painful eyes, headache, swollen gums, mouth and tongue ulcers with constipation; blood in stool due to hemorrhoids or heat in intestines; reckless movement of blood: hematemesis, epistaxis, uterine bleeding)
• Invigorates blood; resolves stasis (amenorrhea, immobile abdominal masses, trauma, acute and chronic blood stasis)
• Clears heat and toxicity (heat obstructing blood with toxicity: intestinal abcess, fire toxin sores, hot skin lesions, boils, carbuncles, burns: internally or topically administered)

Special Notes:
• Da Huang has many contraindications because it is extremely cold and bitter.
• Cooking da huang and gan cao together for a long time (> 30 minutes) will reduce purgative effects, while cooking short time will cause maximum purgation.
• Pharmacologically Da Huang has a remarkable laxative effect, and has been shown effective to reduce LV damage in hepatitis.
• Patients with acute pancreatitis were treated very effectively with a decoction of 30-60g da huang every 1 to 2 hours until symptoms returned to normal.
• According to Dr. Zhang Ziao Ping a small amount of Da Huang is effective to treat hypertension and LV fire.
• Mang Xiao is often combined with Da Huang to strongly treat excess constipation due to heat. Both Da huang and Mang Xiao can cause intestinal cramping as they stimulate the movement of the intestines.

• (cc: pregnancy)
• (cc: nursing mothers)
• (cc: during menstruation)
• (cc: exterior disorders)
• (cc: SP and ST deficient cold)