Rehmannia glutinosa is able to stop heat induced bleeding

What is rehmannia glutinosa?
Medicinally it mainly refers to the fresh or dried root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., which is one of medicinal plants in the family Scrophulariaceae. Other common names of it include Chinese foxglove, radix rehmanniae, radix rehmanniae glutinosae, and the like. In China it is primarily produced in provinces of Henan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia and the Northeast. And it is also cultivated in most parts of China. It is generally harvested in autumn. The following steps are to remove the residual part of stem, fibrous root, and soil. It is normally used fresh or dried.

The meaning of "Sheng" has a little subtle difference between ancient and modern backgrounds. In ancient time Sheng Di means the fresh herb since back then the prepared rehmannia didn’t invented yet, especially before the Tang and Song dynasties. Now the "Sheng", meaning dried, is more an opposite concept of "Shu" (prepared). Hence, today when it is used in the fresh form, the prescription should give a clear indication of "Xian" (fresh).

Rehmannia glutinosa benefits
Its main health benefits are mainly focused on two aspects – removing heat to cool blood and nourishing Yin and generating body fluid. Since it is of sweet-bitter taste and cold nature, it acts on blood aspect and can cool blood by clearing blood-aspect heat. As a result, it is ideal for warm disease and heat illness that is characterized as high fever, thirst, and deep red tongue. Besides, it can be used in treating a variety of hemorrhage too since it is able to stop heat-induced bleeding.

It can nourish Yin too thanks to its moist and juicy properties. And because of its sweet taste and cold nature it can also nourish Yin, moisten dryness, and promote the secretion of saliva or body fluid. Hence, it is the perfect remedy for those with body fluid impairment due to heat pathogen in late warm and heat disease. Also, its effect of nourishing yin and clearing heat is frequently used in the treatment of dry mouth, thirst, and dizziness due to fire excess from yin deficiency and xiaoke disease that belongs to the pattern of impairment of fluid by excessive heat.

Modern pharmacology of rehmannia
1) Its water extract has antihypertensive, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic effects;
2) Its liquid extract has cardiotonic and diuretic effects;
3) Its ethanol extract can shorten the clotting time;
4) Rehmannia-based Liu Wei Di Huang Wan can lower blood pressure, improve kidney function, and reduce tumor;
5) It resists the declined concentration of plasma corticosterone after continuous administration of dexamethasone;
6) It prevents the atrophy of adrenal cortex;
7) It promotes the conversion of lymphoblasts of the body and increases the number of T lymphocytes;
8) It enhances the phagocytosis of reticuloendothelial cells, which is especially obvious for immunocompromised persons.