A Review on the Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Therapeutic Effects of Rheum ribes

Abstract

Herbal medications are typically used for the treatment of diverse diseases without significant adverse effects. The Rheum ribes (R. ribes), commonly called rhubarb, is a hardy perennial herb and is consumed all over the world. There is growing evidence of the therapeutic benefits of R. ribes. Extensive in vitro and in vivo investigations have shown that R. ribes reveals beneficial properties via different mechanisms. In the current article, various pharmacological and therapeutic effects of R. ribes have been reviewed. For this purpose, different online databases using keywords such as R. ribes, therapeutic effects, and pharmacological effects were searched until the end of December 2020. R. ribes has been suggested to be effective in the treatment of a wide range of disorders including stomachache, nausea and vomiting, hemorrhoids, and measles. Additionally, different studies have demonstrated that R. ribes possesses numerous pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral, and may also function as an expectorant. The present narrative review provides a detailed survey of scientific investigations regarding the pharmacological properties and therapeutic effects of R. ribes.