Anthranoid laxatives

In an epidemiological study, chronic abusers of anthranoid laxatives (identified by the detection of pseudomelanosis coli) had an increased relative risk of 3.04 (95% Cl = 1.18, 4.90) for colorectal cancer (10). 

Siegers CP, von Hertzberg-Lottin E, Otte M, Schneider B. Anthranoid laxative abuse—a risk for colorectal cancer Gut 1993 Aug 34(8) 1099-101. 

Siegel, R. 1979. Ginseng abuse syndrome Problems with the panacea. JAMA 241, 1614-1615. Siegers, C. 1992. Anthranoid laxatives and colorectal cancer. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 13, 229-231. Simpson, E., Law, S., and Storrs, F. 2004. Prevalence of botanical extract allergy in patients with contact dermatitis. Dermatitis 15, 67-72. 

Anthranoid laxative plants The anthranoid-containing plants are essentially similar in their mode of action. In this group the active substances are a group of polynuclear or tricyclic hydrocarbon derivatives based on anthracene. Various oxidised and reduced forms constitute the aglycones of a variety of C and O glycosides. The fully oxidised form is the anthraquinone form, with the partially reduced form represented by the an-throne nucleus. Dimeric forms whereby two anthracene nuclei are chemically linked to... 

See also a Sections 25.4.1 for additional information on emodin and aloeemodin, and Section 24.4.2 for general information on the association between anthranoid laxative use and colorectal cancer. 

Several studies have been conducted in order to establish and better understand the mode of action of anthranoid laxatives. For example, Lemli [14] presented a review of the study of the mode of action of sennosides, Fig. (1) the active constituents of the senna drug. An interaction between rhein-anthrone, the active metabolite of sennosides, and the immune cells of the colon is suggested as a base for laxative activity. Several studies aimed to... 

As we have seen in the last paragraph, various tests revealed that some quinones can have an antimutagenic effect, and thus that they could have some potential as anticancer agents. However, chronic abuse of anthranoid laxatives has recently been associated with an increased risk of colorectal... 

Siegers, G.P 1992. Anthranoid laxatives and colorectal cancer. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 13(6) 229-231. 

Siegers, C.P., E. von Hertzberg-Lottin, M. Otte, and B. Schneider. 1993. Anthranoid laxative abuse—A risk for colorectal cancer Gut 34(8) 1099-1101. 

Mengs, U., and R.L. Rudolph. 1993. Light and electron-microscopic changes in the colon of the guinea pig after treatment with anthranoid and non-anthranoid laxatives. Pharmacology 47(Suppl. 1) 172-177. 

Nusko, G., B. Schneider, I. Schneider, C. Wittekind, and E.G. Hahn. 2000. Anthranoid laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia Results of a prospective case control study. Gwf 46(5) 651-655. 

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