Rhubarb: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

If you have ever needed a herb that moves a stuck bowel decisively, but without leaving the colon weak afterwards, rhubarb root is the one Ayurveda reaches for. Classical and modern Ayurvedic sources describe it as one of the best purgative herbs available: stronger than flaxseed or Triphala, yet milder than senna.

Rhubarb here means the dried root of Rheum emodi Wall (Indian rhubarb), with Rheum webbianum Royle as a related variety. It is known in Hindi as Revandchini, and in Sanskrit (Amla-vetasa). The root is brownish-red, has a characteristic smell, and yields a yellow dye.

One naming note for newcomers: the Sahasra Yoga drug index applies the Sanskrit name Amlavetasa to a different plant, Garcinia pedunculata Roxb., a sour fruit used in digestive formulas. This page is about the rhubarb root described in the Bhavaprakash Nighantu.

In Ayurvedic terms, rhubarb tastes bitter (Tikta), has a cooling potency (Sheeta Virya), and a pungent post-digestive effect (Katu Vipaka). It calms Pitta and Kapha while mildly increasing Vata. It acts on the plasma, blood, and fat tissues through the digestive and excretory systems.

Rhubarb's uses all trace back to one theme: clearing heat and congestion downward and out. The Bhavaprakash Nighantu lists three core actions: kindling appetite (Deepana), stimulating the liver (Yakrituttejaka), and purging (Rechana).

Constipation

Rhubarb is best known as a purgative for constipation, particularly the kind that comes with fevers, ulcers, or infections. Its anthraquinone glycosides drive the purgative action, typically about eight hours after a dose.

What sets it apart is its astringent aftereffect, which classical sources describe as protecting the tone of the colon. Harsher purgatives lack this.

Diarrhea and Dysentery

It may seem odd that a purgative also treats diarrhea, but rhubarb's action depends on dose. At small doses its tannins astringe the bowel, while at larger doses the anthraquinones purge it.

Sources indicate it for febrile or damp-heat diarrhea and for Pitta-type dysentery, where heat and congestion show up in the bowel. Its cooling, bitter nature is what suits these hot patterns.

Liver and Bile

Rhubarb is described as a liver tonic and liver stimulant that purges bile. Its bitter taste and affinity for the blood make it useful in jaundice and liver disorders with heat and congestion.

Sources also say it clears the sticky residue of incomplete digestion (Ama), along with stagnant food and blood.

Skin Inflammation

Rhubarb is indicated for skin inflammation, especially hot, Pitta-driven patterns that come with sluggish bowels or a heavy liver. It works from the inside by clearing the gut and liver load that feeds the heat in the blood (Rakta Dhatu).

Ulcers and Digestive Weakness

Sources list rhubarb for ulcers and for weak, sluggish digestion (atonic dyspepsia), working as a stomachic and bitter tonic. Its other listed actions include hemostatic (stops bleeding), antipyretic (reduces fever), and anthelmintic (expels worms).

Sources also note that it reduces weight and fat, consistent with its action on fat tissue.

Rhubarb is a strong herb, and its safety comes down to using it briefly, at the right dose, for the right pattern.

Who Should Avoid It

• Pregnancy
• Chronic diarrhea
• Chills
• Vata-type hemorrhoids (use with caution on hemorrhoids generally)
• Gout, rheumatism, epilepsy, or uric acid diseases

Side Effects to Expect

Rhubarb tends to cause griping, which is why it is paired with ginger or fennel. It also turns the urine yellow, which sources say is no cause for concern.

Because it mildly increases Vata, people with a dry, cold, Vata-type constitution should use it only briefly.

Long-Term Use

Its anthraquinones are stimulant laxatives and are not meant for indefinite use. The bowel adapts to repeated stimulation, and long dependence can weaken colon tone.

Drug Interactions

Our sources do not list specific drug interactions. If you take regular medication, check with your doctor before using any purgative herb.

The part used is the dried root, prepared as a powder, an infusion, or a pill. Powder is the most practical, because rhubarb changes character with dose and powder lets you measure precisely.

What to Take It With

Rhubarb tends to cause griping (cramping), so it is combined with a carminative, a herb that settles gas. The traditional proportion is 4 parts rhubarb to 1 part ginger or fennel.

For older people or those with a very dry colon, it is combined with licorice and psyllium to soften the stool. Sources also note that it acts more strongly when taken with Epsom salt.

How Long to Use It

Rhubarb is a short-course herb, not a daily tonic. Use it to break a stuck pattern, then move to a gentler daily option such as Triphala.

Pregnancy and Nursing

Avoid. Pregnancy is listed as a contraindication for rhubarb root. Our sources give no specific guidance for nursing, so avoid it while breastfeeding unless a qualified practitioner advises otherwise.

Children

One Ayurvedic source describes rhubarb as safe for children, including for teething and nutritional balancing, but gives no child dose. Because it is a strong purgative, use it in children only under practitioner guidance.

Elderly

For older people with dryness in the colon, rhubarb is combined with licorice and bulk laxatives such as psyllium to offset its drying effect. Keep courses short, and add ginger or fennel to prevent griping.

Athletes

Our sources have no specific data on rhubarb for athletes. As a purgative it is not a performance herb, so use it only for the digestive patterns described above.