STUDY OF VARIOUS RHUBARBS REGARDING THE CATHARTIC EFFECT AND ENDOTOXIN-INDUCED DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION

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 confir med between the sennoside A content and cathartic effects in our exper iments. Furthermore, the effects of Shisendaio (e9j117t), with a highe r sennoside A content, and Kinmondaio (iF-), with a lower sennoside A content, exhibited endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagul ation (DIC) which related closely to Oketsu symptoms, and these effect s were examined in rats. Kinmondaio exhibited weak inhibition on both reducing erythrocyte deformability and prolonging euglobulin lysis tim e (ELT) in DIC rats. From our results, it is possible to evaluate rhub arb's cathartic effect, one of its main drug effects, by examining the rhubarb's sennoside A content. However, it is difficult to estimate t he cathartic effect according to the general market name of Rhubarb. N o dramatic effect was found on the experimental models used for Oketsu symptoms such as endotoxin-induced DIC.