The potential of Genus Rumex as a valuable source of health-promoting metabolites: A review of ethnomedicinal and pharmacological uses in the treatment of skin diseases

Abstract

Skin diseases display essential disorders that threaten human health worldwide thus, there is an urge to find effective remedies for treating such diseases, especially from natural products which can be safer, more available, and cheaper than synthetic drugs. Rumex is one of the interesting drugs known to have a beneficial curing effect on various skin disorders especially through exerting antiaging and depigmentation activities. Genus Rumex is the second largest genus in the Polygonaceae family which consists of almost 200 species that are rich in various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, anthraquinones, chromones, and stilbenes. The presence of numerous classes of bioactive constituents in Rumex was reflected in its pharmacological activities, thus the plant has potential anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects together with its antiaging, anti-wrinkes and skin depigmentation. In this review, we provided an overview of the active compounds of Genus Rumex as well as its biological activity with a special emphasis on its effect on skin diseases.