Experimental Papers
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1996. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 1996; 2(4): 206-208
Published online Dec 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i4.206
Therapeutic effects of rhubarb on gastrointestinal failure
De-Chang Chen, Bing-Wen Jin, Xiang-Yu Zhang
De-Chang Chen, Bing-Wen Jin, Xiang-Yu Zhang, Emergency and Critical Care Center, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, 415 Feng Yang Road, Shanghai 200003, China
De-Chang Chen, attending doctor, Master of Critical care medicine, having 14 papers published
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 3920016.
Correspondence to: Dr. De-Chang Chen, Emergency and Critical Care Center, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai 200003, China
Telephone: +86-21-63275997-432
Received: July 28, 1996
Revised: September 10, 1996
Accepted: October 20, 1996
Published online: December 15, 1996
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effects of rhubarb on gastrointestinal failure and the underlying pharmaceutical mechanism.

METHODS: Ninety-seven patients in intensive care unit were divided into a treatment group (76 critically ill patients complicated with gastrointestinal failure) and a control group (21 recovered patients). The effects of rhubarb on stress ulcer and toxic paralytic ileus in the patients were observed. The rectal and gastric intramural pH values, cardiac index, oxygen delivery, and oxygen consumption were measured.

RESULTS: Treatment with rhubarb achieved a significant curative effect in 30 of the 36 cases of stress ulcer complicated with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Ha-2-receptor blocking agent had a poor effect on them (P < 0.05). Among the 49 cases of toxic paralytic ileus treated with rhubarb, peristalsis was recovered in 41, and gastrointestinal nutrition could be tolerated in 24, while other medicine had no effect on them. According to gastric and rectal intramural pH, rhubarb could improve gut mucosa perfusion. Among the 23 cases of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome who received treatment with rhubarb, 9 survived.

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that rhubarb has a good curative effect on gastrointestinal failure.

Keywords: Rhubarb, Multiple organ failure, Gastrointestinal disease