The root of this is used which contains glycosides, tannins, oxalates and minerals.
A really greedy, voracious weed and one you would shift heaven and earth to remove from your garden, but wow, what fantastic properties it has!
Yellow Dock
For a start, as it is a mineral rich plant, it is nutritious, containing iron and sulphur.
It is a bitter plant which stimulates digestive function, improves bile secretion, and is an alterative, encouraging the normal functioning of the body and a good lymphatic cleanser.
So I use it as a tincture in many mixes especially as a tonic herb and to improve a poor digestion.
It comes in the “never be without it” category on my shelves but needs to be used with respect, otherwise it may cause diarrhoea. In fact if I am putting yellow dock in a patient’s mixture for the first time, I do warn them, they may be sat on the toilet a bit more for the first couple of weeks.
Linda Bostock
Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information
