Medical and medicinal importance of Rheum spp. collected from different altitudes of the Kashmir Himalayan range

Most of the plants are essential due to their medicinal properties and have contributed to the origin and evolution of many traditional herbal therapies. Rheum is also one of the famous and known medicinal plants of Kashmir Himalaya. It ranges from an altitude of 1700-5500 m. Its Roots are long and stout. The stem is erect, hollow, sulcate, glabrous, or strigose. It is native to Asia-Temperate to Asia-Tropical, from China to India, Nepal, and Pakistan. In India, its found in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh. Rhubarb is the English name of the genus Rheum (family Polygonaceae). Emodi, Webbianum and Spiciforme are three species of Rheum found in Kashmir Himalaya. Rheum species are well-known medicinal plant and is found on high altitudes. Its leaves and stalks are taken as food and cooked as vegetables. It’s used as medicine and is generally proven more effective against certain ailments like antibacterial, anticancerous, anti-inflammatory, rheumatoid diseases, stomachache, and intestinal problems. It is also used for the treatment of indigestion, abdominal disorders, boils, wounds and flatulence. But Rheum has become endangered due to exploitation. Active compounds like aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysaphanol and physicion are found in this plant which is anti Cancerian agents. High molecular diversity is also observed in all the three species of Rheum.