Aloe emodin (1,8-dihydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)anthraquinone) is an

anthraquinone Anthraquinone, also called anthracenedione or dioxoanthracene, is an aromatic organic compound with formula . Isomers include various quinone derivatives. The term anthraquinone however refers to the isomer, 9,10-anthraquinone (IUPAC: 9,10-dioxo ...

and an isomer of

emodin Emodin (6-methyl-1,3,8-trihydroxyanthraquinone) is a chemical compound, of the anthraquinone family, that can be isolated from rhubarb, buckthorn, and Japanese knotweed (''Reynoutria japonica'' syn. ''Polygonum cuspidatum''). Emodin is particular ...

present in aloe latex, an exudate from the

aloe ''Aloe'' (; also written ''Aloë'') is a genus containing over 650 species of flowering succulent plants.WFO (2022): Aloe L. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000001341. Accessed on: 06 Nov 2022 The most wid ...

plant. It has a strong stimulant-laxative action. Aloe emodin is not

carcinogenic A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substan ...

when applied to the skin, although it may increase the carcinogenicity of some kind of radiation. Aloe emodin is found in the gel, sap or leaves of

aloe vera ''Aloe vera'' () is a succulent plant species of the genus ''Aloe''. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in tro ...

, the socotrine aloe,

Barbados aloe ''Aloe vera'' () is a succulent plant species of the genus '' Aloe''. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in ...

, and Zanzibar aloes, the bark of ''Frangula'' (''

Rhamnus frangula ''Frangula alnus'', commonly known as alder buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, or breaking buckthorn, is a tall deciduous shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. Unlike other "buckthorns", alder buckthorn does not have thorns. It is native to Europe, northern ...

'') and cascara sagrada (''

Rhamnus purshiana ''Frangula purshiana'' (cascara, cascara buckthorn, cascara sagrada, bearberry, and in the Chinook Jargon, chittem stick and chitticum stick; syn. ''Rhamnus purshiana'') is a species of plant in the family Rhamnaceae. It is native to western N ...

''), the leaves of Senna (''

Cassia angustifolia ''Senna alexandrina'' (Alexandrian senna, in Arabic عشرج or عشرق or سنامكي and see below) is an ornamental plant in the genus '' Senna''. It is used in herbalism. It grows natively in upper Egypt, especially in the Nubian region, a ...

''), and the rhizome of rhubarb (''

Rheum rhaponticum ''Rheum rhaponticum'', the false rhubarb, rhapontic rhubarb or rhapontic, is a plant species in the genus ''Rheum'' found in the wild. It is the only ''Rheum'' species found only in Europe, and is now restricted to the Rila mountain range in sout ...

''). Aloe-emodin has not been found in Natal aloes.

References

See also