Latin Name
Rehmannia glutinosa

General Description
The thick, reddish yellow Chinese foxglove root is cooked in wine and used as a tonic. The cooked form of the root is often used in treating disorders associated with aging. It is classified as sweet and warm in traditional Chinese medicine.

Target Ailments
Taken internally for:

• Lightheadedness, palpitations, blurred vision or floaters in vision.
  
• Insomnia or the inability to be still and restful.
  
• Chronic low-grade fever and night sweats.
  
• Constipation with dry, hard stools.
  
• Irregular menstruation or uterine bleeding, especially after childbirth.
  
• Low-back pain and weak knees; weak, stiff joints.
  
• Hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
  
• Premature graying of hair.

Preparations
The prepared root and the raw version are available from Chinese pharmacies, Asian markets and some Western health food stores. When you order, specify that you want the cooked version, which is made by soaking the root in rice wine with spices such as cardamom.
Combinations: A mixture with gelatin is prescribed for coughing and vomiting blood, nosebleeds and bleeding from the uterus. Practitioners also use combinations of the cooked root with cornus and Chinese yam, or with freshwater turtle shell, to treat lightheadedness, insomnia, forgetfulness and related symptoms. See a Chinese medicine practitioner for information on dosages and further herbal combinations.

Special Information

• WARNING: Individuals who have digestive problems or a tendency to gas and abdominal bloating are advised to use this herb carefully; the cooked herb can distend the abdomen and cause loose stools.
  
• In a trial with a small number of patients, raw Chinese foxglove root was used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Some improvement in rheumatic symptoms was shown over a period of about six months.