Rumex abyssinicus, family polygonaceae is a plantrnused traditionally for colouring textiles and food. Itrnhas several medicinal application such as purgative, antidiabetic,rnand taencide. l'he powdered root of R0abyssinicusrnwas packed on a column and extracted using acetone.rnThe sticky brownish mass(A-l)which was produced onrnevaporation was further separated by column chromatographyrnand showed to consist of anthraquinone derivativesrnA-4, A-6 and A-7 which were latter identified as emodinrn(1,3,8 trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone), chrysopyanvlrn(1,8 dihydroxyT3-methylanthraquinone, and physiconern(1,8 dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-raethylanth-raquinone)respectively.rnThe structural ilucidation of emodin, chryso~phanol and physicone are based on their ultraviolet,visible, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and massspectras.