Pharmacology of Rhein and Advancement in the Synthesis of Its Derivatives

Rhein is one of the main components of Rheum. It is widely used for the treatment of tumor, virus, diabetic nephropathy, bacterial infection and inflammatory, and it shows excellent clinical application value. Here, recent studies on the pharmacological activity and synthesis of rhein and its derivatives were reviewed and future direction was also briefly discussed, hoping to provide beneficial information for the research of rhein and its derivatives.