da huang's tannins

[Guest guest]

Julie wrote:

 

Bensky says that in " small doses of less than 0.3g/kg " (page 117

of Revised Materia Medica), " the effect of tannin outweighs the purgative

effect and causes constipation. " According to my calculations, then, a

person

weighing 150 pounds (68 kg), would still be experiencing the astringent

(tannin) effect with 20 grams of Da Huang! And we never use 20 grams of it!

Is something wrong with my reasoning?

 

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I noticed that passage in Bensky/Gamble too, and was also confused by it. I

wondered if the " per kg " part should have been omitted.

One of my herb teachers said 9g is the standard purgative dose of rhubarb,

however,

John Christopher said " Turkey rhubarb [palmatum, officinale species - same

as ours], given in small doses, is a valuable stomach tonic, increasing

saliva and the flow of gastric juice, improving the appetite, promoting the

action of the liver and the flow of bile without astringing the intestines,

and facilitating absorption throughout the system.... in larger doses

(2-3g), it produces copious yellow, pultaceous stools in 6-8 hrs.... it acts

chiefly on the duodenum , and generally does not clog or produce an

after-constipation as so many of the active cathartics do. The tonic and

astringent action following evacuation makes Turkey rhubarb a valuable

healing remedy for diarrhea due to irritating matter in the bowel; it

removes the irritating substance, the after-astringent properties check the

diarrhea, and then it tones the tissue and corrects the accompanying atonic

digestion.... "

He considers 2-3g a " larger " dose. So maybe the possibility that the

passage in Bensky should have read, " In small doses (<0.3g) the effect of

tannin outweighs the purgative effect and causes constipation, " isn't that

outlandish. It does seem very, very small, but, conversely, the idea that

the passage might have been saying, " In small doses (i.e. <20g for a 150 lb

person)... " seems equally unlikely.

Maybe Dan Bensky himself can comment on this one.