Clinical studies of therapeutic effects of rhubarbon on gastrointestinal dysfunction and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome after traumatic shock

Objective To study the therapeutic effects of rhubarbon on gastrointestinal dysfunction after traumatic shock and its protective effect on multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Methods A total of 137 patients suffering from gastro intestinal dysfunction after traumatic shock were divided into rhubarb treatmentgroup and non rhubarb treatment group. The therapeutic effects and the duration of gastrointestinal dysfunction were observed. Levels of plasma endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) were measured. Morbidity and mortality rates of MODS were compared between two groups of patients. Results Of 71 patients with gastrointestinal dysfunc tion who received rhubarb treatment, 62 patients (87.32%) got catabatic. Whereasthe gastrointestinal function of only 32 patients (48.48%) out of 66 patients in the non rhubarb treatment group were improved. There was a significant difference between the two groups ( P 0.01). Furthermore, the duration of gastrointestinal dysfunction was decreased significantly in the rhubarb treatment group ( P 0.01). The levels of endotoxin and TNF α in serum were decreased significantly compared with that in the non-rhubarb treatment group. The morbidity of MODS decreased from 51.52% to 29.58% and the mortality rate from 55.88% to 23.81% after treatment with rhubarb, with a significant difference ( P 0.01 ). Conclusions Rhubarb has a good curative effect on gastrointestinal dysfunction after traumatic shock, which redounds to a decrease of morbidity and mortality rates of MODS.