Rhubarb

Rheum palmatum · Rheum officinale · Da huang

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Occasional constipation¹ Chronic constipation^{2, 3} Sepsis adjunct⁴ Severe acute pancreatitis⁵ Chronic renal failure⁶	Pregnancy¹ Lactation¹ Intestinal obstruction¹ Inflammatory colon disease¹ Children under 12¹

Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale; da huang) is a root and rhizome used in Traditional Chinese Medicine that acts as a stimulant laxative⁷. Its anthraquinone constituents stimulate the gut, which drives the main use in short-term occasional constipation¹. Chinese trials also test it as an adjunct in sepsis, severe acute pancreatitis, and chronic renal failure.

For constipation, a placebo-controlled trial in middle-aged adults found improved stool frequency and consistency², and a trial of topical navel plasters found improved bowel function³. A meta-analysis of small, poor-quality trials reports lower mortality in severe acute pancreatitis when combined with a trypsin inhibitor, compared with the trypsin inhibitor alone⁵. A 2026 evidence summary of guidelines, expert consensus, and systematic reviews supports rhubarb for intestinal function recovery in acute pancreatitis, with all evidence drawn from Chinese studies⁸. There are 869 products listing rhubarb, mostly liquid extracts plus capsules, tablets, and powders; see Form comparison.

The European Union herbal monograph contraindicates pregnancy because experimental data show genotoxic risk from anthranoids such as emodin¹. Per the same monograph, patients taking cardiac glycosides, diuretics, or corticosteroids consult a doctor before use, since laxative-driven potassium loss compounds their effects¹.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

57 sources, 54 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources