Yellow Dock
Botanical Description & Habitat
Rumex crispus
Family
Polygonaceae
Common names
| Curled dock | Sour dock |
| Curly dock | Narrow dock |
| Garden patience |
Habitat
Native of Europe, and is found in Asia. It flourishes in damp meadows, waste grounds, cultivated soil, and along roadsides.
Description
Has a yellow, spindle-shaped root which produces a smooth, furrowed stem. The stem grows from one to four feet in height and bears lanceolate, pointed, dark green leaves. The red flowers appear during June and July, growing in long spikes at the ends of the stems and branches.
Medicinal parts
Root, dried, collected in autumn
Historical Properties & Uses
Yellow dock belongs to the same family as rhubarb, and its root has similar, but weaker properties. Due to its concentration of anthraquinone derivatives, the herb is traditionally used as a mild laxative.
In the 19th century, several American physicians rekindled the idea often heard through the centuries in European, African, and Asian folklore: yellow dock had remarkable "blood purifying" properties, it was extremely valuable as an alterative to clear up any kind of skin disease resulting from impure blood, or which could benefit by increasing the blood's ability to remove wastes and morbific material, including cancer.
Today, some Western herbalists continue to use yellow dock as an alterative, with consistent and reliable effects. Research has neither confirmed nor disproved the alterative property of yellow dock.
Method of Action
Yellow Dock Root Is A Laxative
The mild laxative property of yellow dock root is due to the presence of a number of anthraquinone derivatives, including emodin, physcion and chrysophanic acid. Because the herb is usually milder in action than turkey rhubarb or chinese rhubarb, it is normally thought to have a smaller concentration of active compounds. However, there is some research which indicates yellow dock does in fact has a greater concentration.
Yellow Dock has Some Astringent And Antibiotic Activity
Yellow dock is quite high in tannin and also contains a volatile oil. These could account for reported astringent and antibiotic properties. Many negative antibiotic tests have also been reported.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
There is presently insufficient data on this subject.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
It has a significant oxalate content.
Stewed leaf stalks may be consumed.
Like other anthraquinone laxatives, overuse may cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea leading to hypokalemia.
Sensitive persons may develop dermatitis and rashes after contact.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Dried root
2-4 grams
Tea
made from 1 tsp dried root
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol: 2-4 ml
Tincture
1:5 in 45% alcohol: 1-2 ml
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Am Hospital Formulary Service. Am Soc of Hosp Pharm. Wash, D.C.
Bressler, R., M.D. Bogdonoff & G.J. Subak-Sharpe. 1981. The Physicians Drug Manual. Doubleday & Co, Inc. Garden City, NY. 1213 pp.
Committee on Pharmocopaeia of the Am Institute of Homeopathy, The Homeopathic Pharmacopaeia of the United States. 8th ed., Vol 1. Otis Clapp and Son, Agents, Boston, l981.
Facts and Comparisons. The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. sep, 1992.
Fitzpatrick, F.K. Plant substances active against mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antibiotics And Chemotherapy, 4(5), 528-536, 1954.
Goodman, L.S. & A. Gilman. 1975. Pharm Basis of Thera. MacMillan, NY.
Hansten, P.D. 1979. Drug Interactions, 4th ed. Lea & Febiger, Phila.
Hyde, F.F. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. British Herbal Medicine Assoc: West Yorks, England. 1983.
Kastrup, E.K., ed. 1981. Drug Facts and Comparisons, 1982 edition. Facts and Comparisions Division, J.P. Lippincott Co, Phila (St. Louis).
Lewis, Walter H. & Elvin-Lewis, Memory P.F. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Man's Health, John Wiley and Sons. New York, l977.
List, P. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Martin, E. Drug Interactions Index, 1978/79. J.B. Lippincott Co., Phila.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Nishikawa, H. Screening tests for antibiotic action of plant extracts. Japanese J Of Experimental Medicine, 20, 337-349, 1949.
Raffa Ariea, J.J. & C.E. Molfino. Revista Famaceutica (Buenos Aires), 104, 151-155, 1962.
Scientific Committee, British Herbal Pharmocopaeia, British Herbal Med Assoc, Lane House, Cowling, Na Keighley, West Yorks, Bd Bd220lx, l983.
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