Update on Rhein Pharmacological Activities, Security, and Pharmacokinetics

One of the primary active ingredients in rhubarb and Polygonum multiform is rhein, which is an anthraquinone molecule. Rhein has a wide range of pharmacological benefits, including effects that protect the heart and brain, hepatoprotect the liver, protect the kidneys, reduce inflammation, fight tumours, and control blood sugar. The system, which includes NF-B, PI3K/Akt/MAPK, p53, mitochondrialmediated signalling pathway, oxidative stress signalling pathway, and others, is interconnected and complex. However, due to its weak water solubility and low bioavailability, its therapeutic applicability is rather constrained. Rhein may also be harmful to the liver and kidneys. Therefore, in order to serve as a guide for the creation and use of rhein, the pharmacological effects of rhein and its mechanism, pharmacokinetics, and safety investigations were examined in this work.

Rheum palmatum L., Cassia tora L., Polygonum multiform Thunb., and Aloe barbadensis Miller are just a few of the medicinal plants that contain the lipophilic anthraquinone Rhein (4, 5-dihydroxyanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid), which has been used medicinally in China for more than a thousand years. The biological effects on human health are continuously being investigated. New research reveals that rhein has a wide range of pharmacological actions, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and antibacterial properties. The current review supports the prospective uses of rhein as a therapeutic agent by providing a thorough summary and analysis of its pharmacological properties.

Published Date: 2022-09-05; Received Date: 2022-08-05