Pharmacognosy with the Basics of Plant Biochemistry - Kovalyov V. M. 2004

Special Part
Phenolic Compounds
Medicinal Plants and Raw Materials Containing Alizarin Derivatives

RHIZOMES AND ROOTS OF DYERS MADDER — RHIZOMATA ET RADICES RUBIAE

Dyers madder — Rubia tinctórum L., fam. Rubiaceae

Dyers madder; the name originates from the Latin ruber — red, and tinctórum — of dyeing.

Plant. An herbaceous perennial with climbing or procumbent pubescent stems up to 2 m long. The rhizome is long, creeping, branching, cylindrical, thickened at the nodes, multi-headed, reddish-brown, producing several stems. Leaves are arranged in whorls of 4-6, lanceolate, glabrous, about 10 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, sessile, with hooked prickles along the margins and midrib. Flowers are small, greenish-yellow, in spreading semi-umbels. Fruits are spherical, black, juicy, berry-like, usually one- or two-seeded.

Distribution. Dyers madder grows wild in Southern Europe (Mediterranean countries), as well as in Iran, Afghanistan, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Within the CIS territory, it is found in Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Azerbaijan, and southern Ukraine. Dyers madder is cultivated in the North Caucasus and Crimea.

Harvesting. Under cultivation, roots are harvested in autumn or early spring of the third year of the plant's life. The raw material is dried in the shade, in a well-ventilated area, or in dryers at temperatures up to 45 °С.

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Chemical composition of the raw material. The rhizomes and roots of dyers madder contain up to 60 hydroxymethylanthraquinone derivatives, with the main ones being alizarin and its bioside ruberythric acid, lucidin and its bioside lucidin primveroside, rubiadin and its bioside rubiadin primveroside, purpurin-3-carboxylic acid and its bioside galiosin, as well as purpurin, xanthopurpurin, and methyl esters of alizarin, xanthopurpurin, and 1-hydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone. The anthraquinone content is about 3 %.

The raw material contains sucrose, Fatty acids, Polysaccharides, etc.

Biological activity and application. Alizarin derivatives are capable of dissolving oxalate and phosphate stones formed in the Kidneys. Litholytic, spasmolytic, and diuretic effects are exhibited by the powder of madder rhizomes and roots, dry extract of dyers madder, and the combined preparations Cystenal and Marelin.

In homeopathy, the dry rhizome is used for urolithiasis and all types of lithiasis.



Last update: 06/08/2026

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