Yellow dock is a perennial in the Polygonaceae family, which includes smart weed, knot weed and buck wheat. The herb is native to Eurasia, but is now naturalized elsewhere including North America.
The leaves are rich in iron, potassium and vitamin A, and at one time were harvested as young greens and consumed as a vegetable. The bitter compounds in the herb become more apparent, however, as the plant matures.
The yellow root, which is also high in iron, is dug up in late summer or early fall and dried. Historically, the dried yellow dock root is decocted as tea or tinctured and taken for its mild laxative effects brought about by anthroquinone glycosides, namely emodin. Infusions and tinctures of yellow dock root may also be applied topically to counter minor skin conditions.
