Wine cured Da huang (Rhubarb root)

1. Extraction . . . 'Radix et Rhizoma Rhe'

Whole, mature, rhubarb plants are extracted from GAP farms in the Sichuan province between late Autumn and early Spring (before new season germination).

Rhubarb root has bitter and cold properties and acts on the heart, large intestine, liver and stomach meridians.

Note: GAP = Good Agricultural Practice- a standard administered by the Chinese state to ensure high quality plant growing with low toxicity.

2. Production

A GMP factory in Sichuan province will remove the fibrous root and skin from the tuber of the rhubarb plant, slice it, then dry it.
For every 100kg of dried roots, 10kg of yellow wine is sprayed onto the surface of the raw Da huang and left to soak. It is then stir-fried over a soft flame until the roots turn dark brown without carbonized spots.

Note1: crude herb should be yellow, veinous with spots of oil cavities, pleasant smelling, bitter and acerbic to taste.

Note 2: GMP = Good Manufacturing Practice - a standard administered by the Chinese state.

3. Distribution

GSP's sell the product to hospitals, pharmacies and direct to customers via internet etc.

Average online price - $7.70 per 200 pills.

Note: GSP = Good Supply Practice of TCM products- a standard administered by the Chinese state.

4. Consumer

Crude herb treats constipation.

Cured Da huang treats blood stasis, belly pain and can be used to soften acute appendicitis.

In TCM terms it drains heat and accumulations from the Yangming level, clears damp heat, cools the blood, Invigorates blood, eliminates stagnant blood and clears toxic heat and purges knotted heat and stool from the colon.

Medical Thesaurus

• germination (n)- the start of new growth
• toxicity (adj.)- the level of toxin content
• fibrous (adj.)- containing fibres
• tuber (n)- the underground body of some plants
• carbonized (adj.)- burnt
• veinous (adj.)- showing veins
• acerbic (adj.)- acid-like
• constipation (n)- the state of delayed passing of dry/hardened stool
• stasis (n)- the slowing or stoppage of fluids
• appendicitis (n)- dis-ease (inflammation) of the vermiform appendix
• accumulation (n)- the gathering together of a mass
• Yangming level (n)- the stomach/large intestinal area
• invigorate (v)- to give vigor/stronger life to something
• eliminate (v)- to remove
• stagnant (adj.)- not flowing
• purge (v)- to free or relieve something
• knotted (adj.)- bunched together