Anthracene

Colourless, violet fluorescent substance, which is extracted industrially from coal tar. The naturally occurring anthracene derivatives are characteristic drug ingredients. They are the starting product of numerous naturally occurring drug ingredients. These include anthrones, anthranols and anthraquinones, which are usually present as glycosides (linked to a sugar in the manner of an acetal). Dihydroxyanthracene derivatives of the emodin type (see emodins below) have a laxative effect (see also Sennae folium)