Investigation of biochemical constituents of Rhubarb (rewaz) extract in Iraq/Kurdistan region

Abstract

Rhubarb grows well along the coast and in cool sections of the central vally, it is an important medicinal herb have been shown to have a range of bioactivities relevant to human health. This study aims to find out the biochemical components of rhubarb which is anedible, wild and natural plant collected from the mountains. Surrounding Sulaimani City Kurdistan-Iraq. These components include protein, carbohydrate, sterol and organic acids. The ratio of nitrogen determined by using Kjeldahl method to estimate the amount of protein. The carbohydrate, organic acids and sterols determined by using HPLC. Levels of carbohydrate detected, show that the amount of monosaccharide's higher than the disaccharides ,and the percent of protein is 16.311%,organic acids were found to be decreased with decreasing molecular weight except for formic acid which is volatile and it was found to be higher. Our results clarify the biochemical composition of rhubarb, we found some types of sterol (stigma sterol 2.63 µg/ml, β-sitosterol 16.73 µg/ml, campe sterol 19.77 µg/ml and avenno sterol). We suggest that different biochemical constituents be used separately in clinical practice.