Rheum Palmatum Root/Stalk Extract, also known as Chinese rhubarb root/stalk extract, is derived from the roots and stalks of the Rheum palmatum plant. This extract contains bioactive compounds such as anthraquinones, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids, which are known for their antioxidant, purifying, and soothing properties. In cosmetics, Rheum Palmatum Extract is used to treat sensitive skin, reduce inflammation, and protect against oxidative damage, improving the skin's elasticity and radiance.

Chemical Composition and Structure

The extract contains anthraquinones (such as emodin and rhein), tannins, flavonoids, and organic acids. Anthraquinones are the main compounds and provide antioxidant and purifying properties, while the tannins and flavonoids contribute to soothing the skin and protecting it from free radical damage.

Physical Properties

Rheum Palmatum extract is available in liquid or powder form, soluble in water or hydroalcoholic solutions, with a color ranging from light brown to yellow. It is commonly used in serums, creams, and masks, where it helps improve skin texture, purifying and protecting it from environmental stressors.

Production Process

The extract is obtained through hydroalcoholic or solvent extraction processes from the dried roots and stalks of the Rheum Palmatum plant. During extraction, bioactive compounds are isolated and concentrated to ensure maximum effectiveness in cosmetic formulations.

• Harvesting the Root: Rheum palmatum root is harvested when mature. It is essential to follow sustainable harvesting practices to ensure the quality of the plant material.

• Cleaning: After harvesting, the roots are cleaned to remove dirt, residues, and impurities. This step is crucial to ensure that the final extract is of high quality.

• Drying: The cleaned roots may undergo a drying process to remove moisture. This helps preserve the active properties and facilitates subsequent extraction.

• Extraction: The extraction of active principles occurs using appropriate solvents, such as water, ethanol, or methanol. The dried roots are immersed in the solvent, and the mixture is agitated or heated to promote the release of bioactive compounds.

• Filtration: Once the extraction process is complete, the obtained solution is filtered to remove undissolved solids, resulting in a liquid extract containing the active principles of the root.

• Concentration: The extract may be further concentrated by evaporating the solvent to obtain a product richer in nutrients and with greater stability.

• Quality Control and Packaging: Finally, Rheum palmatum root extract undergoes quality control checks to verify its purity, efficacy, and compliance with standards. After analysis, it is packaged for distribution and use in dietary supplements and cosmetic products.

Applications

• Purifying Products: Rheum Palmatum root/stalk extract is used to purify the skin and regulate sebum production, making it beneficial for oily or blemish-prone skin.

• Anti-inflammatory Products: Due to its soothing properties, this extract is often used in products for sensitive or irritated skin, helping to reduce redness and inflammation.

• Antioxidant Products: The extract protects the skin from free radical damage and oxidative stress, helping to prevent signs of aging.

INCI Functions:

Cosmetic astringent. This ingredient exerts a direct effect on the skin by tightening dilated pores by contracting stratum corneum cells and removing superfluous oil.

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

Tonic. This product is used to treat the hair when the scalp is clean or after shampooing. It stimulates hair growth, revitalises the scalp for healthy hair growth and reduces hair loss. It provides a feeling of well-being on skin and hair.

CAS 90106-27-7    8016-55-5

EC number 290-249-3

Health and Safety Considerations

Safety in Use
Rheum Palmatum root/stalk extract is generally considered safe for cosmetic use. However, due to its anthraquinone content, it is advisable to use it in appropriate concentrations to avoid potential skin sensitization. A patch test is recommended before use on sensitive skin.

Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions to this extract are rare but may occur in individuals sensitive to anthraquinones or other plant compounds. It is recommended to test the product on a small area of skin before full use.

Toxicity and Carcinogenicity
Internal use of anthraquinones in high doses can have toxic effects.

Environmental Considerations
Rheum Palmatum is extracted from renewable natural sources, and the extraction process is sustainable with minimal environmental impact. The use of cultivated plants helps ensure a responsible and eco-friendly supply chain.

Regulatory Status
Rheum Palmatum root/stalk extract is approved for use in cosmetic products by major regulatory authorities, including the European Union and the FDA in the United States.

References__________________________________________________________________________

Nguyen LTH, Ahn SH, Shin HM, Yang IJ. Anti-Psoriatic Effect of Rheum palmatum L. and Its Underlying Molecular Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 15;23(24):16000. doi: 10.3390/ijms232416000. 

Abstract. Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder. Rheum palmatum L. is a common traditional medicinal herb with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. This study aimed to investigate the anti-psoriatic effects of the ethanolic extract from R. palmatum L. (RPE) and its chemical constituents, as well as the mechanisms underlying their therapeutic significance. An imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model was used to examine the anti-psoriatic effect of RPE in vivo. Network pharmacological analysis was performed to investigate the potential targets and related pathways of the RPE components, including rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, and physcion. The anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms of these components were examined using in vitro models. Topical application of RPE alleviated psoriasis-like symptoms and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and proliferation markers in the skin. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that RPE components target 20 genes that are linked to psoriasis-related pathways, such as IL-17, MAPK, and TNF signaling pathways. Among the five components of RPE, rhein and emodin showed inhibitory effects on TNF-α and IL-17 production in EL-4 cells, attenuated the production of CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL20, and MMP9, and reduced proliferation in HaCaT cells. Chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, and physcion were less effective than rhein and emodin in suppressing inflammatory responses and keratinocyte proliferation. The effects of these compounds might occur through the inhibition of the ERK, STAT3, and NF-κB signaling pathways. This study suggested the anti-psoriatic effect of RPE, with rhein and emodin as the main contributors that regulate multiple signaling pathways.

Shang X, Dai L, He J, Yang X, Wang Y, Li B, Zhang J, Pan H, Gulnaz I. A high-value-added application of the stems of Rheum palmatum L. as a healthy food: the nutritional value, chemical composition, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Food Funct. 2022 May 10;13(9):4901-4913. doi: 10.1039/d1fo04214a. 

Abstract. Rhubarb has edible stems or stalks. In this paper, we investigated the nutritional value, chemical composition, and bioactivities of Rheum palmatum stems (SRP) and analyzed the mode of action. SRP exhibited biosafety and had nutritional value, with abundant essential amino acids and minerals. Based on network pharmacology and western blot tests, we found that it showed anti-inflammatory activity via the PI3K-Akt-mediated NF-κB pathway. Out of 20 compounds identified using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS analysis, cirsiliol and hydrangenol were active compounds and they inhibited NO production in RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS. The alleviation of an inflammatory response is combined with a decrease in oxidative stress, and SRP showed antioxidant activity via attenuating antioxidant enzymes, scavenging free radicals, improving the mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreasing the reactive oxygen species level. These results indicated that SRP, with abundant flavonoids and a good nutritional composition, could be used as a dietary supplement for food applications.

Xiong Y, Kim HK, Özer ÖÇ, van Duijn B, Korthout HAAJ, Zi L, Cai A. Synergistic Inhibiting Effect of Phytochemicals in Rheum palmatum on Tyrosinase Based on Metabolomics and Isobologram Analyses. Molecules. 2023 Jan 17;28(3):944. doi: 10.3390/molecules28030944. 

Abstract. Tyrosinase (TYR) plays a key role in the enzymatic reaction that is responsible for a range of unwanted discoloration effects, such as food browning and skin hyperpigmentation. TYR inhibitors could, therefore, be candidates for skin care products that aim to repair pigmentation problems. In this study, we used a metabolomics approach combined with the isobologram analysis to identify anti-TYR compounds within natural resources, and evaluate their possible synergism with each other. Rheum palmatum was determined to be a model plant for observing the effect, of which seven extracts with diverse phytochemicals were prepared by way of pressurized solvent extraction. Each Rheum palmatum extract (RPE) was profiled using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and its activity of tyrosinase inhibition was evaluated. According to the orthogonal partial least square analysis used to correlate phytochemicals in RPE with the corresponding activity, the goodness of fit of the model (R2 = 0.838) and its predictive ability (Q2 = 0.711) were high. Gallic acid and catechin were identified as the active compounds most relevant to the anti-TYR effect of RPE. Subsequently, the activity of gallic acid and catechin were evaluated individually, and when combined in various ratios by using isobologram analysis. The results showed that gallic acid and catechin in the molar ratios of 9:5 and 9:1 exhibited a synergistic inhibition on TYR, with a combination index lower than 0.77, suggesting that certain combinations of these compounds may prove effective for use in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Wang H, Song H, Yue J, Li J, Hou YB, Deng JL. Rheum officinale (a traditional Chinese medicine) for chronic kidney disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jul 11;2012(7):CD008000. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008000.pub2. 

Abstract. Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue worldwide. Standard therapies to delay CKD progression include dietary protein restriction and administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) to help control blood pressure and confer additional renoprotective effects. Despite such interventions, CKD incidence and mortality rates continue to increase. Rheum officinale (Da Huang) a medicinal herb used widely in China to treat CKD has been reported to offer a range of pharmacological properties that may delay disease progression. Objectives: To assess the benefits and harms of Rheum officinale for preventing the progression of CKD.....Main results: We identified nine studies that enrolled 682 participants. None of the studies reported blinding or group allocation methods. Seven studies were judged to be at low risk of incomplete outcome reporting; three studies were judged to be a low risk of selective reporting (protocols were available and/or all outcomes relevant to the this review were reported); and two studies were judged free of other potential biases.Seven studies compared Rheum officinale with no treatment and two made comparisons with captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi). Compared with no treatment, Rheum officinale had a positive effect on SCr (MD -87.49 µmol/L, 95% CI -139.25 to -35.72) and BUN (MD -10.61 mmol/L, 95% CI -19.45 to -2.21). Compared with captopril, a statistically significant difference was not demonstrated in relation to Rheum officinale for any outcome (BUN, CrCl, or patients' capacity to undertake work). No data were available on all-cause mortality or cost of treatment. Only minor adverse events were reported in association with Rheum officinale. Authors' conclusions: Currently available evidence concerning the efficacy of Rheum officinale to improve SCr and BUN levels in patients with CKD is both scant and low quality. Although Rheum officinale does not appear to be associated with serious adverse events among patients with CKD, there is no current evidence to support any recommendation for its use.

Tan ZB, Fan HJ, Wu YT, Xie LP, Bi YM, Xu HL, Chen HM, Li J, Liu B, Zhou YC. Rheum palmatum extract exerts anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects by inhibiting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Mar 25;232:62-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.12.019. Epub 2018 Dec 13. PMID: 30553869