• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Herbal Resource

Information on Medicinal Herbs & Functional Medicine

  • Home
  • Herbs List
  • Herbs by Health Condition
  • Latest Posts
  • Phytochemicals
  • Our Authors

Rehmannia Root – Health Benefits and Side Effects

Pin666
Share75
Share
Reddit
Flip
Tweet
Share
741 Shares

Botanical Name: Rehmannia glutinosa.

Other Common Names: Chinese foxglove, di-huang, shu di-huang, disui.

Habitat: The plant is endemic to China, Japan, and Korea.

Plant Description: Rehmannia is a perennial plant of the Phrymaceae family also known as the lopseed family.

It is similar in appearance to foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Its leaves are mostly at ground level and it blooms with flowers that can range from yellow to burgundy in color.

The plant was brought from Asia to the West in the eighteenth century and is cultivated mostly as an ornamental garden plant in the United States and Europe.

Plant Parts Used: The whole plant is used to make herbal medicine.

It is commonly used in combination with other herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Japanese Medicine.

rehmannia plant
Rehmannia Plant in Bloom (Rehmannia glutinosa)

Therapeutic Uses and Benefits of Rehmannia

Rehmannia is the most important Chinese herb for disorders of the kidneys and adrenal glands.

Rehmannia glutinosa
Rehmannia glutinosa – Illustration

It also appears to combat adrenal suppression caused by steroid hormones and has a similar tonic effect on the adrenal cortex as licorice.

A feature of rehmannia is that it is in a small group of herbs that are used to autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis.

Used to combat the symptoms and progression of these illnesses, anti-inflammatory herbs used include rehmannia, Indian sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus) and bupleurum (Bupleurum chinense).

Rehmannia also hinders the breakdown of cortisone products in the body, which lengthens the effect of this herb.

In one study, patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with rehmannia and experienced good results, including a reduction of joint pain, swelling, and increased joint movement.

The herb also improved the general symptoms of asthma and urticaria. Mild edema developed in a small percentage of patients which is a similar reaction to that induced by adrenocortical hormones.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) the unprocessed rehmannia root is used to reduce heat in the blood, to nourish yin and promote the production of body fluid. Indications for TCM use include febrile diseases, skin eruptions, and nosebleed.

In Western herbal medicine, rehmannia root extract is looked upon as an adrenal tonic; and is believed to support the cells of the adrenal cortex and pituitary during times of prolonged stress.

Oral doses (10-500 mg/kg) of rehmannia fluid extract had an immune modulating effect in an experimental model.

Rehmannia root could, therefore, be helpful in addressing autoimmune conditions of the adrenals and thyroid.

Unlike liquorice (also an adrenal tonic), rehmannia root is suitable for use in patients with hypertension (high blood pressure).

The herb’s main active principles are iridoid glycosides. Catalpol was the first of these isolated from the herb, and it appears its main function is to stimulate the production of adrenal cortical hormones.

These hormones are anti-inflammatory and explain the use of the herb in treating asthma, skin diseases, and arthritis. Catapol is also used to increase the production of sex hormones and in TCM.

Rehmannia root is prescribed to treat menopause, impotence, hair loss (alopecia) and other hormone deficiencies.

Dosage and Administration

The dose range for rehmannia root is wide-ranging depending on the preparation used and is best discussed with a healthcare practitioner.

Rehmannia herb
Rehmannia – Herbal Medicine

Side Effects and Possible Interactions of the Rehmannia Root

Rehmannia root is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

This herb may cause loose bowel movements in some people and may cause bloating.

In some rare instances nausea and abdominal pain may be experienced when using this herb.

Supporting References

Foster,Steven and Yue chongxi: Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West. Healing Arts Press 1992.
Bone, K. and N. Burgess: How To Prescribe Herbal Medicine. 2nd Ed. Warwick. MediHerb Ltd. 1992.
Bone, K.: Post Graduate Course in Phytotherapy. Warwick. MediHerb Ltd. 1990
Usher, G.: A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. London, England. Constable and Company Ltd. 1974.
Yeung, Him Che: Handbook of Chinese Herbal Formulas. 2nd Ed. Redwing Book Co. 1985.

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Thordur Sturluson

Thor Sturluson has a BS in Biology, majoring in Botany, from the University of Maine and a masters degree in Zoology from the Open University in London. He's an experienced Biologist with a history of working in the environmental services industry. A trained scuba diver and researcher, Thor's has a keen interest in nature conservation and animal/plant protection. His work and botany passion has made The Herbal Resource what it is.
My Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Latest posts by Thordur Sturluson (see all)

  • What is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana? - June 3, 2019
Pin666
Share75
Share
Reddit
Flip
Tweet
Share
741 Shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. avraham pinson says

    August 13, 2018 at 4:29 pm

    Why is rehmannia “not suitable for breastfeeding women”?

    Reply
    • Thordur Sturluson says

      August 13, 2018 at 6:15 pm

      Rehmannia is not recommended in pregnant or breastfeeding women due to a lack of available scientific evidence.

      Reply
  2. Pat Jean Kohler says

    November 14, 2020 at 5:02 pm

    How long should a woman take rehmannia root for osteoporosis before having an additional DXA scan? Is one year long enough to rebuild bone mineral density?

    Reply
    • Ajai says

      December 10, 2020 at 10:38 am

      Dr have developed patch of Rehmannia roots placed on bally for treatment of diabitees,is it true?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter Sign-up

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your inbox weekly.

We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Footer

  • Newsletters
  • Deals
  • Ethical Foraging – Do’s and Don’ts
  • Write for Us
  • Partner, Advertising & Commercial Relationships
  • Affiliate Agreement
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Categories

  • Functional Medicine
  • Grow Your Own Herbs
  • Herbs – General
  • Herbs – Scientific Evidence
  • Herbs for Specific Ailments
  • Medicinal Herb Profiles
  • Phytochemicals
  • Poisonous Plants
  • Sponsored Posts
  • Uncategorized

Follow

Subscribe to notifications

Contact Information

The Herbal Resource
523 E. 14th St.
Suite 5A
New York, NY 10009
Email: herb@herbal-supplement-resource.com

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

The Herbal Resource is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program as well as with other affiliate partners.

An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to their products and services.

Looking for Something?

© Copyright 2018 The Herbal Resource · All Rights Reserved!

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
SettingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.