Emodin

Common Name(s): 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methyl-anthraquinone, 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylemodin, 3',4',5',7-tetrahydroxyflavone, Emodin

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 21, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Clinical studies of emodin were not identified for this review. Data from animal and experimental studies demonstrate strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that may prove useful in cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular, CNS, liver, metabolic, and respiratory conditions. Antimicrobial and laxative activity has also been noted. No clinical data exist to support any of these uses.

Dosing

Clinical data are lacking to provide dosing recommendations.

Contraindications

Data are lacking regarding contraindications to emodin. As with other laxatives, use in patients with fecal compaction, intestinal obstruction, and undiagnosed abdominal pain is contraindicated.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Anthranoid metabolites may be excreted in breast milk. Emodin has been shown to impair embryonic development in mouse blastocysts, and in vitro studies have demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on sperm motility but not sperm viability.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Concentration- and time-dependent toxicity of emodin has been observed in liver and kidney cell lines.

Toxicology

Overdose of anthraquinone laxatives results in intestinal pain and severe diarrhea with consequent electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. The carcinogenicity of emodin has been studied with equivocal results.

Source

Emodin is a polyphenol found in the roots, leaves, and bark of several plants, including aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), cascara (Rhamnus pushiana), rhubarb (Rheum officinale), senna (Cassia angustifolia), Polygonum multiflorum, Polygonum cuspidatum, Psychotria camponutans, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Rheum palmatum, Stephania dinklagei, and Ventilago madraspatana.Di 2015, Han 2015, Jia 2014, Lee 2011, Lin 2015, Nemmar 2015, Sharma 2017, Xue 2015

History

Due to its laxative effect, emodin has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for obesity-related diseases. More recently, animal and experimental studies have supported emodin's use in cancerCha 2015, Di 2015, Jia 2014, Srinivas 2007 and conditions related to imbalances in inflammatory and oxidative processes, including cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver transplant, and osteoporosis.Alisi 2012, Kim 2014, Lee 2012, Tong 2011, Yang 2014 Clinical application has been limited because of emodin's extremely low bioavailability.Di 2015

Chemistry

A variety of extraction methods have been examined for cascara; boiling water prevents the losses and changes to the compounds that occur in cold water extraction. Techniques for the production of emodin derivatives have been published.Alaerts 2007, Bisset 1994, Coskun 1989, Duke 1985, Evans 1989, FDA 2002, Koyama 2008, Leung 1980, Lu 2006, Tan 2006, Wei 1992 The content of free anthraquinones...