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ACTA Pharmaceutica Sciencia
2026 , Vol 64 , Num 2
Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis and pharmacological relevance of the genus Rheum L. in Türkiye
1 Istanbul Medipol University, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Istanbul, Türkiye2 Istanbul University, Institute of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Türkiye
3 Istanbul University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Istanbul, Türkiye
DOI : 10.23893/1307-2080.APS64017 Viewed : 214 - Downloaded : 102 In the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions of Türkiye, there is a rich diversity of medicinal plants used in traditional folk medicine. Species belonging to the genus Rheum L. (R. ribes L. and R. telianum Ilcim) hold a significant place in traditional healing practices. This study aims is to comprehensively document the traditional uses of Rheum species, to evaluate their cultural importance quantitatively using ethnobotanical indices, and to contribute advanced molecular drug discovery. Fieldwork was conducted with 143 participants across seven high-altitude rural settlements in the provinces of Ağrı, Van, Şırnak, and Adıyaman, where plant samples were also collected. The collected data were analyzed using ethnobotanical criteria including Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Cultural Importance Index (CI), and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC). R. ribes emerged as particularly notable for its widespread use in antidiabetic, anticancer, and nutritional applications, with a high Use Value (UV = 0.71) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC = 0.76). A high Informant Consensus Factor (ICF > 0.99) among participants indicated a strong cultural foundation for its traditional use. The Cultural Importance Index (CI = 1.12) further supported the prominent role of R. ribes. The findings of this study demonstrate that species of the Rheum genus are used for therapeutic purposes in Türkiye. While regional diversity influences usage differences, the preservation, transmission, and quantitative compilation of traditional knowledge is of great importance from a modern pharmacological perspective. Keywords : ethnobotany, herbal remedies, Rheum ribes, Rheum telianum, traditional knowledge