Page 235 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303 (1)

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

RHIZOMA RHEI

Rhizoma Rhei (a botanically incorrect expression), Radix Rhei sinensis, Chinese
Rhubarb.

It is the dried rhizome and big roots of Rheum palmatum L. and/or R. officinale
Baillon, Chinese rhubarb, as well as hybrids of these species except Rheum
rhaponticum (Fam. Polygonaceae) and deprived of most of its bark.

Rhubarb contains not more than 2% of foreign organic matter and yields
not less than 25% of hydroxy-methyl-anthraquinone derivatives, not more than
33% of which consist of anthranol derivatives, both calculated as 3,8 dihydroxy-
anthraquinone (mol. wt., 240.2).

192