Rhubarb Extract

Product Description

• Rhubarb is a plant. The root and underground stem (rhizome) are used to make medicine.
  
  Rhubarb is used primarily for digestive complaints including constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, stomach pain, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, and preparation for certain GI diagnostic procedures. Some people use rhubarb so they have to strain less during bowel movements; this reduces pain from hemorrhoids or tears in the skin lining the anal canal (anal fissures).
  
  Rhubarb is sometimes applied to the skin to treat cold sores.
  
  In food, rhubarb stems are eaten in pie and other recipes. Rhubarb is also used as a flavoring agent.
  
  
  Possibly Effective for:
  
  Cold sores, in combination with sage (Salvia officinalis).
  
  Insufficient Evidence for:
  
  Bleeding from the stomach and bowels. There is some evidence that taking rhubarb powder might be useful for treating gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.
  Indigestion.
  Stomach pain.
  Hemorrhoids.
  Constipation.
  Diarrhea.
  Other conditions.
  
  Side Effects & Safety:
  
  
  Rhubarb is likely safe when consumed as food. It is possibly safe for most people when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts for eight days or less.
  
  Rhubarb can cause some side effects such as stomach and intestinal pain, watery diarrhea, and uterine contractions. Long-term use can result in muscular weakness, bone loss, potassium loss, and irregular heart rhythm.
  
  There is a report of kidney failure in someone who took a product containing rhubarb. But it???s not known for sure if rhubarb was the actual cause of kidney failure.
  
  Rhubarb is possibly unsafe for children. There is one report of a *-year-old who ate rhubarb leaves and died. Rhubarb leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid, which can be deadly if taken in large enough doses. Because of their small size, children are at highest risk for oxalic poisoning after eating rhubarb leaves.
  
  
  Special Precautions & Warnings:
  
  Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Rhubarb is possibly unsafe when used in amounts greater than those found in foods.
  
  
  Diarrhea or constipation:
  
  Rhubarb can make diarrhea or constipation worse, depending on the preparation used.
  
  
  Gastrointestinal (GI) conditions:
  
  Don???t take rhubarb if you have a bowel obstruction; appendicitis; unexplained stomach pain; or inflammatory conditions of the intestines including Crohn's disease, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  
  
  Kidney disease:
  
  There is a chemical in rhubarb that might harm the kidneys. In fact, a supplement that contained rhubarb has been linked to one report of kidney failure. If you already have kidney disease, don???t risk making it worse by taking rhubarb.
  
  
  Kidney stones:
  
  Rhubarb contains a chemical that the body can convert into kidney stones. If you have ever had kidney stones, don???t take rhubarb.
  
  
  Dosage:
  
  The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
  
  
  APPLIED TO THE SKIN:
  
  
  For treatment of cold sores: a cream containing *3 mg/gram each of rhubarb extract and sage extract applied every 2 to 4 hours while awake, with treatment starting within one day of symptom appearance and continuing for *0 to *4 days