Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, the major usage of which is purgation, is widely used in clinical therapy among different prescriptions. According to present reports, researches on herbal compatibility mechanism were mainly fo-cused on the comparison of content changes of active ingredients before and after. In oder to provide references, this review was made on researches of compatibility mechanism of prescriptions and paired drugs for ingredients of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei from research actuality.

Objective To study compatibility rule of herb-pair in rhubarb after compatibilities with fructus aurantii Immaturus,Chinese goldthread rhizome,moutan cortex,peach seed and kansui radix stir-baked with vinegar, and to observe its anti-inflammation and acute toxicity. Methods Mice were gavaged by 15,30 g?kg-1 rhubarb and rhubarb, rhubarb frutus aurantii immaturus rhizoma coptidis, radix et rhizoma rhei peony, rhubarb, semen persicae and rhubarb extracts from euphorbia kansui, respectively, in the morning and evening once, for 7 d.The effects of five different compatibility of Rhubarb on acute inflammation were observed in the mouse paw swelling induced by carrageenan. The classical method were used to determine acute toxicity of rhubarb and the contents of five different compatibility of rhubarb. Results Compared with the control group, the contents of five different compatibility of rhubarb with high and low dosage groups(30,15 g?kg-1 ) could inhibit the paw edema in mice,reduce NO and MDA production and enhanced activity of SOD in mice inflammatory tissue. The LD50 was not determined. Calculated by crude drug content, the MLD of rhubarb compatibilities with fructus aurantii immaturus, Chinese goldthread rhizome,moutan cortex,peach seed and kansui radix stir-baked with vinegar were 145.33,142.30,117.53,103.45, 113.09,182.36 g?kg-1 respectively, which were respectively equal to 581,569,470,418,452 ,729 times of people, s daily dried medicinal herb dosage. Conclusion The five different herb-pair have anti-inflammation effects after compatibility of Rhubarb, and it got best effects when rhubarb compatibility with kansui radix stir-baked, the next were rhubarb compatibility with Chinese goldthread rhizome and moutan cortex. It was basic security and low toxicity of herb-pair in rhubarb after compatibilities.