Rumex obtusifolius  is a perennial weed, native to Europe but can now be found in the United States and many other countries around the world. Herbs perennial. Roots vertical, large, to 1.5 cm in diam. Stems erect, 60-120(-150) cm tall, grooved, branched above middle or in upper 2/3, glabrous. Basal leaves: petiole 6-12 cm, minutely papillate.
This perennial plant has long been used in folklore medicine. The ethnobotanical uses of this species include its use as an antidote to nettle, depurative, astringent, laxative, and tonic, and in the treatment of sores, blisters, burns, cancer and tumors.
Previous studies of this plant revealed the presence of anthracene derivatives, flavonoids, procyanidins and oxalic acid.

report on the free radical scavenging (antioxidant) and antibacterial activities, and the brine shrimp lethality of n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of the leaves of R. obtusifolius using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay.