SynthesisPhytotherapy research : PTR2022
Anthraquinone laxatives use and colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Synthesis in Phytotherapy research : PTR, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Anthraquinone laxatives use and colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2022Pooled it
- Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Multi-Target Pharmacological Activities of Senna alexandrina.Chemistry & biodiversity · 2026Review
- Emodin and the Anthraquinone Scaffold: Therapeutic Promise and Strategies to Overcome Translational Barriers.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Senna Laxative-Associated Severe Ischemic Bowel Disease in an 87-Year-Old Patient: A Clinical Warning.Cureus · 2026Article
- Bulbophyllum drymoglossum aqueous extract modulates immunometabolism and oxidative stress in porcine alveolar macrophages.Animal bioscience · 2026Article
- Role of gut microbiota in melanosis coli: from anthraquinone biotransformation to mucosal homeostasis dysbiosis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- The Genetic and Embryo-Fetal Developmental Toxicity Profile of the Novel Transgelin Agonist Deg-AZM: Ames, Micronucleus, Chromosomal Aberration, and Rat EFD Studies.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- Effect of laxative use and laxative type on colorectal cancer risk: A pooling up analysis and evidence synthesis.Oncology letters · 2025Article
- Review article: do stimulant laxatives damage the gut? A critical analysis of current knowledge.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2024Review
- Qualitative and quantitative analysis methods for quality control of rhubarb in Taiwan's markets.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Melanosis coli: a contrast effect or an oncogenic effect? A large-scale retrospective cohort study.International journal of colorectal disease · 2023Article
- Review on melanosis coli and anthraquinone-containing traditional Chinese herbs that cause melanosis coli.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Review
- Case report: Melanosis coli combined with colon cancer, causality or coincidence?Frontiers in surgery · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
16 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to determine the effects of anthraquinone (AQ) laxatives on colorectal cancer (CRC). We searched PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL from inception until March 2021, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Through the systematic review, we identified 8 observational studies evaluating AQ laxatives use as a risk factor for CRC development, and 5 studies on CRC risk were included in the meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Through the meta-analysis, we found that a history of AQ laxatives use compared with "other" and "no laxatives" use was associated with CRC development (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 0.94-2.11), although not at a statistically significant level. The possible association persists even after removal of the outlier studies (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 0.97-2.34). Selection of cases and controls was judged at low or unclear risk of bias across almost all studies, and the quality of evidence was from moderate to low. In conclusion, it is not possible to associate the use of AQ laxatives with the development of CRC. However, the trend toward an increased risk of CRC provides a strong indication for investigating this issue by performing further high-quality studies.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.