Abstract
The review of materials on the composition and biological activity of anthraquinones of species of the genus Rheum L. The most well-studied are the representatives of "forest rhubarb", which evolved in the forests of Central and Northern China: Rheum palmatum L., R. officinale Baill., R. emodi Wall. ex Meissn., R. rhabarbarum L. (= R. undulatum L.) and R. compactum L. (= R. rhaponticum L.). The official rhubarb is the Tungut rhubarb R. palmatum L. var. tanguticum Regel, known on the international pharmaceutical market as "Chinese rhubarb". The main aglykones of rhubarb anthraquinones are chrysofanol, emodin, aloe-emodin, fisсion and rhein. Particular attention is paid to various aspects of their impact on the processes that accompany oncological diseases. Emodin was found to inhibit cell proliferation, induce apoptosis induction, and prevent metastases. Emodin and aloe-emodin have high cytotoxic activity against oral squamous cell carcinoma and salivary gland cancer. Rhein inhibits the absorption of glucose in tumor cells and leads to their death. Anthraquinone glycosides, in contrast to aglycons, exhibit moderate cytotoxic activity. Other types of biological activity have been investigated - antimicrobial, antiviral, immunomodulating, antioxidant, molluscicidal etc. It follows from the presented materials that species of the genus Rheum containing anthracene derivatives are promising for practical use and further study.
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