Study of Various Rhubarbs Regarding the Cathartic Effect and Endotoxin-Induced Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Abstract

Sennoside A content in hot-water extracts from 17 varieties of rhubarb obtained from the market was measured, and their respective cathartic effects were also examined in mice. A positive correlation was confirmed between the sennoside A content and cathartic effects in our experiments. Furthermore, the effects of Shisendaio, with a higher sennoside A content, and Kinmondaio, with a lower sennoside A content, exhibited endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) which related closely to Oketsu symptoms, and these effects were examined in rats. Kinmondaio exhibited weak inhibition on both reducing erythrocyte deformability and prolonging euglobulin lysis time (ELT) in DIC rats. From our results, it is possible to evaluate rhubarb's cathartic effect, one of its main drug effects, by examining the rhubarb's sennoside A content. However, it is difficult to estimate the cathartic effect according to the general market name of Rhubarb. No dramatic effect was found on the experimental models used for Oketsu symptoms such as endotoxin-induced DIC. © 1994, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.