title: Preparation of Clinically Useful Sennoside-reduced Rhubarb.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop a method of removing sennoside to reduce the cathartic effect of rhubarb while conserving its other pharmacological activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rhubarb powder was steam autoclaved at 121°C and 0.14 MPa for 20, 60, or 120 minutes, and HPLC analysis was conducted to determine levels of rhubarb components. Mice were fed non-autoclaved or 20-minute-autoclaved rhubarb extracts. Feces were collected and weighed over a 24-hour period. India ink was orally administered to determine the distance of fecal migration through the intestinal tract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Autoclaving 20, 60, and 120 minutes decreased sennoside A and B to trace levels but only autoclaving 20 minutes conserved most of the (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and (-)-epicatechin gallate contents (i.e., 69%, 90%, 88%, respectively). Therefore only rhubarb autoclaved for 20 minutes was used in subsequent experiments. Fecal output (in g) in mice treated with water (control), autoclaved rhubarb, and non-autoclaved rhubarb was 2.78 ± 0.07, 3.30 ± 0.13 (p = 0.348), and 3.81 ± 0.07 (p = 0.005). India ink migration was far less in mice treated with autoclaved rhubarb vs non-autoclaved rhubarb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Steam autoclaving the rhubarb for 20 minutes reduces sennoside levels and its cathartic activity while conserving its other pharmacological activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kampo Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan. arai@tokai-u.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: Kagemasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Naoaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002400:Cathartics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012676:Senna Extract / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000081226:Sennosides; D013227:Steam; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000081226:Sennosides; D013227:Steam; D012676:Senna Extract