Yellow dock (Rumex crispus), also called curly dock, is an easily identifiable herb found growing in ditches where you can see the rusty-coloured seed stalks standing above the other grasses. It is also present in damp paddocks where the roots can be dug up well away from the roadside where the council routinely sprays. The roots, leaves and seeds are gathered in the countries of the Mediterranean region to make salads, flour and soups, as well as medicine.

Yellow dock (root) is a good digestive system herb of the kind we call a bitter tonic. These herbs increase secretions of saliva, mucus, stomach acid, bile and digestive enzymes. Yellow dock also protects and supports the liver, is mildly laxative, and stimulates a stagnant bowel by restarting peristalsis.

Furthermore, it has mild antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic activity when the roots and leaves are made into various extracts (water, ethanol, acetone), a finding which supports the traditional use of the herb to protect against stagnation and dysbiosis in the digestive system.¹

Yellow dock is also rich in minerals and vitamins. It contains iron which makes it an iron tonic much like nettle and parsley, as well as good amounts of potassium and magnesium. There are also B-vitamins as well as vitamins A and C. In addition, yellow dock will protect against bone loss by encouraging the formation of bone through osteoblast activity.² Yellow dock does, however, accumulate oxalates which accounts for its tangy flavour in salads, and is therefore contraindicated where there is a tendency to form kidney stones.

Yellow dock is also a blood cleanser prescribed for toxic conditions of the circulation that lead to skin diseases which can involve intense itching. The body will often ‘throw out’ wastes on the skin when the channels of elimination are congested, and we react to these itchy rashes by applying cortisone cream in an effort to suppress it. This compounds the problem, a situation better dealt with by stimulating the bowel, kidneys, liver, sweat and lymphatics with cleansing herbs such as yellow dock, burdock, clivers, red clover and blue flag.

Being a blood cleanser and liver herb, yellow dock is also a indicated for the treatment of rheumatic pains that arise from a disordered metabolism that has resulted from the modern  urban diet and lifestyle. William Boericke describes these pains as ‘numerous and varied, changeable, with soreness under the clavicle and behind the sternum.’ He says that the tongue is sore at the edges and has a coating, while there may be a tickling cough from a sore throat which keeps the patient awake all night.³

According to King’s American Dispensatory, yellow dock has been traditionally used for treating chronically enlarged glands in the lymphatic system, especially where there is a tendency for indolent ulceration and low-grade inflammation. It also has a reputation for treating cancer, and Grieve says this herb was used to help prevent cancer from ‘making inroads into the human system’. Both the anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity of anthraquinone compounds have been demonstrated.^4–6

The Isabel Shipard says that the astringent seeds can be made into a tea for treating a loose bowel. An ointment for treating skin conditions can also be made by boiling the root in vinegar until the fibre is soft, and then you mix the pulp with olive oil or butter. The constituent rumicin which is present in yellow dock may, however, cause irritation to some people.⁷

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Idris OA, Wintola OA, Afolayan AJ. Evaluation of the Bioactivities of Rumex crispus L. Leaves and Root Extracts Using Toxicity, Antimicrobial, and Antiparasitic Assays. Evid-Based Complement Altern Med ECAM 2019;2019:6825297.

2.         Shim K-S, Lee B, Ma JY. Water extract of Rumex crispus prevents bone loss by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and inducing osteoblast mineralization. BMC Complement Altern Med 2017;17:483.

3.         Boericke W. Pocket Manual Of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, c. 1927. Delhi: Indian Books & Periodical Publishers; 2007.

4.         Felter, Loyd. King’s American Dispensatory, c. 1898. 1999; http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/index.html

5.         Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. London: Tiger Books International; 1994.

6.         Eom T, Kim E, Kim J-S. In Vitro Antioxidant, Antiinflammation, and Anticancer Activities and Anthraquinone Content from Rumex crispus Root Extract and Fractions. Antioxid Basel Switz 2020;9.

7.         Shipard I. How Can I Use Herbs In My Daily Life? Nambour: David Stewart; 2003.