Rhubarb: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Other name(s)
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Scientific name(s)
Rheum palmatum L, Rheum officinale
Family or group:
Plants, Super Food
Active ingredients:
Rhein
Emodin
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Pancreatitis ✪✪✪✪✪
Rhubarb has shown benefits for treating acute pancreatitis in several Chinese meta-analyses. Administered in doses of 10 to 90 g daily via gastric tube for 3 to 14 days in combination with somatostatin or octreotide, rhubarb reduced the risks of complications such as sepsis and renal insufficiency by 45%, decreased abdominal pain duration by 1.3 to 2 days, and slightly reduced hospital stay.
Posologie
Oral route: root
10 - 90 g
dry extract
Rhubarb combined with trypsin inhibitor for severe acute pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Meta-Analysis of Efficacy of Rhubarb Combined With Early Enteral Nutrition for the Treatment of Severe Acute Pancreatitis
American Gastroenterological Association Institute Guideline on Initial Management of Acute Pancreatitis
Value of Raw Rhubarb Solution in the Precaution of Post-endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis in Patients with High-Risk Factors: A Predictive Random Compared Research in One Center
Add-on effect of crude rhubarb to somatostatin for acute pancreatitis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
American College of Gastroenterology guideline: management of acute pancreatitis
Efficacy of rhubarb combined with early enteral nutrition for the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis: a randomized controlled trial
Menopause ✪✪✪✪✪
Rhubarb, used in the form of a specific dry extract of its root (ERr 731, Estroease, Lupin Pharmaceuticals), has proven effective in improving menopause symptoms. Administered at a dose of 4 mg daily for 3 to 27 months, this preparation improved symptoms by 46% to 83% compared to less than 20% improvement with a placebo. The improvements observed concern anxiety, hot flashes, sweating, sleep disorders, mood problems, quality of life, fatigue, sexual problems, urinary issues, vaginal dryness, and joint and muscle pain. The underlying mechanism for these effects seems related to the hydroxystilbenes in rhubarb extract which activate estrogen receptor beta, but not alpha, thus offering potential benefits for managing menopause and dysmenorrhea symptoms via this pathway.
Posologie
Oral route: root
4 mg
ERr 731, standardized extract
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Rheum rhaponticum Root Extract (ERr 731) for Menopausal Symptoms in Perimenopausal Indian Women: An Interim Analysis
Confirmation of the efficacy of ERr 731 in perimenopausal women with menopausal symptoms
Long-term efficacy and safety of the special extract ERr 731 of Rheum rhaponticum in perimenopausal women with menopausal symptoms
Efficacy and safety of a special extract of Rheum rhaponticum (ERr 731) in perimenopausal women with climacteric complaints: a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Efficacy of the special extract ERr 731 from rhapontic rhubarb for menopausal complaints: a 6-month open observational study
Constipation ✪✪✪✪✪
Rhubarb could have beneficial effects for treating constipation. A study on middle-aged adults shows that rhubarb extract at 12.5 mg or 25 mg, taken at bedtime for a month, improves stool frequency and consistency compared to a placebo. According to ESCOP, rhubarb may be considered for its laxative effect in standardized preparations for short-term use.
Posologie
Oral route: root
15 - 50 mg
dry extract
Constipation Mitigation by Rhubarb Extract in Middle-Aged Adults Is Linked to Gut Microbiome Modulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Rhubarb root
E/S/C/O/P: 2nd Edition of the ESCOP Monographs
Canker Sores ✪✪✪✪✪
An open study in adults with mild canker sores showed that a topical application of a product containing 5% rhubarb extract and salicylic acid reduced symptom resolution time by about 3 days compared to a water control.
Posologie
Topical, oral: root
5 %
topical solution
Herpes ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical research shows that a cream containing rhubarb and sage applied to cold sores is as effective as acyclovir cream, healing lesions in about 7.2 days compared to 6.3 days for acyclovir.
Posologie
Topical: root
cream
Synergies
Renal Insufficiency ✪✪✪✪✪
Meta-analyses indicate that rhubarb may improve serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in patients with chronic kidney disease, although these results are limited by the methodological quality of the studies.
Posologie
Oral route: root
1 - 7 g
dry extract
Properties
Laxative
Rhubarb acts as a laxative due to its anthraquinone compounds, especially at high doses where they predominate, promoting relief from constipation and potentially inducing diarrhea. At low doses, its astringent effect gently regulates the gastrointestinal tract, thereby preventing excessive irritation.
Usages associés
Hypolipidemic
Rhubarb aids in reducing cholesterol levels, particularly in patients with hypercholesterolemia or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Its richness in fiber might bind to bile salts, accelerating cholesterol excretion. Rhubarb components also reduce cholesterol synthesis.
Nephroprotective
Rhubarb extract promotes kidney health, reducing blood urea and serum creatinine, which can slow the progression of kidney diseases. Tannins, emodin, and epicatechin gallate improve renal markers and renal blood circulation.
Usages associés
Safety dosage
Adult from 18 years: 15 g - 50 g (standardized extract)
Preparations equivalent to 15-50 mg of hydroxyanthracene derivatives (calculated as rhein) per day, preferably in a single intake in the evening. ERr 731 is a proprietary rhubarb extract formulation manufactured by Anderson Global Group. The powder is standardized to contain 54% rhaponticin and 27% desoxyrhaponticin. It also contains the aglycones rhapontigenin and desoxyrhapontigenin and does not contain the laxative anthraquinones emodin or rhein.
Child from 10 to 18 years:
Preparations equivalent to 15-50 mg of hydroxyanthracene derivatives (calculated as rhein) per day, preferably in a single intake in the evening.
Contraindications
Child up to 10 years: prohibited
Rhubarb (used therapeutically) is not recommended for children under 10 years.
Pregnant women: prohibited
Breastfeeding women: prohibited
Intestinal obstruction: prohibited
Do not use in case of intestinal obstruction and appendicitis, or abdominal pain of unknown origin.
Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases: prohibited
Do not use in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis).
