Photos of Rehmannia glutinosa, Rehmannia, Di-huang, 地黄.

Rehmannia glutinosa. A commonly used herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, consisting of the dried root and its processed forms. Used in China since ancient times, there are as many varieties of Rehmannia in China as apples in America. The plant was unknown in the West until the 1770s. Among the fifty most important herbs in Chinese medicine, di-huang is first mentioned in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. Different preparations of the roots are indicated for different functions. The unprocessed root, for example, is used to reduce heat in the blood, promote production of body fluid and nourish yin. The fresh root is used in febrile conditions with impaired yin. The processed root is used to nourish yin and tonify the blood. In Western terms the root is considered cardiotonic, diuretic, hemostatic and hypoglycemic.

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