| Rheum officinale | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Rheum |
| Species: | R. officinale |
| Binomial name | |
| Rheum officinale L. |
|
Rheum officinale is a rhubarb from the family Polygonaceae originating in Asia.
Contents |
The root and stem of R. officinale are used to treat constipation, as well as to aid in the dissolution of blood clots and pus eruptions. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yào yòng dà huáng (Chinese: 药用大黄), and is also a component in the North American herbal remedy called Essiac tea.
In modern medicine, R. officinale has been studied for the treatment of hepatitis B. However, a meta-analysis of published clinical trials concluded that the quality of existing studies was "poor", but further study of R. officinale in combination with interferon is "justified".[1]