The genus Rumex(Polygonaceae): an ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological review

RumexL., a genus in Polygonaceae family with about 200 species, is growing widely around the world. Some Rumexspecies, called "sorrel" or "dock", have been used as food application and treatment of skin diseases and hemostasis after trauma by the local people of its growing areas for centuries. To date, 29 Rumexspecies have been studied to contain about 268 substances, including anthraquinones, flavonoids, naphthalenes, stilbenes, diterpene alkaloids, terpenes, lignans, and tannins. Crude extract of Rumexspp. and the pure isolates displayed various bioactivities, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, cardiovascular protection and antiaging activities. Rumexspecies have important potential to become a clinical medicinal source in future. This review covers research articles from 1900 to 2022, fetched from SciFinder, Web of Science, ResearchGate, CNKI and Google Scholar, using “Rumex” as a search term ("all fields") with no specific time frame set for the search. Thirty-five Rumexspecies were selected and summarized on their geographical distribution, edible parts, traditional uses, chemical research and pharmacological properties.