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== Major species ==
*''Rumex acetosa'' L., *''R. crispus'' L.
== Vernacular names ==
*Oseille, surelle (Fr)
*Indonesia: daun suring, surengan.
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
The rhizomes and roots of many ''Rumex'' species, especially ''R. acetosa'' and ''R. crispus'', but also ''R. dentatus'' L., ''R. maritimus'' and ''R. wallichii'', are generally used for medicinal purposes in South-East Asia and India, internally as a laxative, and externally applied on swellings and against ringworm (''Tinea'' sp.). The leaves are used for this latter purpose as well.
In Indonesia and Indo-China, the rhizomes of ''R. crispus'' are used as a mild purgative and astringent, and a decoction of the roots is prescribed for intermittent fevers and chronic bronchitis. In China, the rhizomes are also used as tonic and febrifuge. In Vietnam, the dried rhizomes and leaves, in decoction, are used for treatment of tuberculosis, hepatitis, arthritis, diabetes, scabies, haemorrhoids, anaemia and leucorrhoea. In the Philippines, China and Japan, sun-dried rhizomes are used for treatment of chronic bronchitis, ringworm, and haemorrhoids. In Brazil and Cuba, a decoction of the rhizome was formerly taken as an astringent tonic, depurative and laxative. In Cuba this was used especially for people with skin eruptions. The mashed rhizome is applied externally to lymphatic or glandular swellings. In Europe and the United States, the rhizome has been much used in the treatment of syphilis, tuberculosis and rheumatism. They are now mainly taken, like the rhizomes of ''R. acetosa'' , as a tonic, haematic, and for acute and chronic inflammation of the nasal passages and respiratory tract. Fatal acute oxalate poisoning after eating large amounts of ''R. crispus'' leaves was observed in humans and sheep. Mucus membrane irritation, accompanied by vomiting, is possible following intake of the fresh rhizome, due to its anthrone content.
In Vietnam, the dried roots of ''R. wallichii'' are used for treatment of constipation, yellow skin, ringworm, acne, scabies and swellings. The bruised leaves are applied on ringworm and sprains. In India and Vietnam, the seeds of ''R. maritimus'' are used as an aphrodisiac and the leaves for the treatment of burns, swellings and ringworm.
''R. crispus'' is known to contain several anthraquinone derivatives, e.g. oxymethyl-anthraquinone (0.2%) and emodin (0.1%) in the roots, and rumicin, physcion, chrysophanol, emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein and their glucosides, in the above-ground parts. Anthraquinone-containing drugs are well-known laxatives. In the colon, bacteria hydrolyse the glycosides and reduce the liberated anthraquinones to anthrones, which act directly on the large intestine to stimulate peristalsis.
The plant also contains 7-11% oxalic acid; fatal acute oxalate poisoning in sheep occurred within 40 hours after having eaten the plants. Clinical signs of poisoning were excess salivation, tremors, ataxia and recumbency. Other signs were hypocalcaemia, azotaemia, perirenal oedema, tubular degeneration.
== Other botanical information ==
In ''Rumex'' , several subgenera are recognized, mainly based on gender of the flowers, the size of the inner perianth in fruit and the form of the leaves. There is no general botanical revision of the genus and therefore the status of lesser-known species remains unclear.
== Ecology ==
* Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. p. 322.
* Suleyman, H., Demirezer, L.O., Kuruuzum, A., Banoglu, Z.N., Gocer, F., Ozbakir, G. & Gepdiremen, A., 1999. Antiinflammatory effect of the aqueous extract from Rumex patientia L. roots. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 65(2): 141-148.
== Selection of species ==
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
*[[Rumex acetosa (PROSEA)|''Rumex acetosa'']]
*[[Rumex crispus (PROSEA)|''Rumex crispus'']]
*[[Rumex maritimus (PROSEA)|''Rumex maritimus'']]
*[[Rumex nepalensis (PROSEA)|''Rumex nepalensis'']]
*[[Rumex patientia (PROSEA)|''Rumex patientia'']]
*[[Rumex wallichii (PROSEA)|''Rumex wallichii'']]
</div>
== Authors ==
*Nguyen Thi Do
[[Category:Medicinal plants (PROSEA)]]
[[Category:PROSEA]]