J Ethnopharmacol. 1987 May; 19(3): 279-83.

Anti-Bacteroides fragilis substance from rhubarb.

Cyong J, Matsumoto T, Arakawa K, Kiyohara H, Yamada H, Otsuka Y.

Oriental Medicine Research Center, Kitasato Institute, Tokyo, Japan.

Extracts of 178 Chinese herbs were screened for their antibacterial activity against Bacteroides fragilis a major anaerobic microorganism in the intestinal flora of humans. Only rhubarb root (Rheum officinale) was found to have significant activity and the purified active substance was identified as rhein.