Synonyms: Ruta graveolens, Rue, Herby grass, Garden rue
Biological source: It is a perennial under shrub which consists of dried herb of Ruta graveolens.
Family: Rutaceae.
Geographical source: It is indigenous to Southern Europe and cultivated in Britain and India.
Cultivation of plant: It grows well in well drained in any variety of soil but prefers rocky and dry soil. It needs full sunshine to grow well. It is drought resistant and needs very less watering.
Macroscopic characters:
It is an erect, glabrous herb which is about 30 to 40 cm in height. Its leaves are bluish green in colour. It has characteristic and strong aromatic odour and pungent taste. Flowers have green yellow colour, fruits are sub cylindrical which is brownish green in colour and
rough on external surface.
Chemical constituents:
It contains glycosides, alkaloids, volatile oils and fixed oils. Rue contains rutin, psoralen,
bergapten, graveolin, rutarin and naphthoharniarin. Rutin is pale yellow crystalline compound which belongs to flavonosoidal glycoside category.
Uses:
It is used therapeutically as capillary protectant, antitussive, spasmolytic, emmenogogue etc. It is mainly used in liquid extract form or infusion.
Rue extract are mutagenic and hepatotoxic in nature. Its large doses can cause gastric pain, vomiting, systemic complications and even death. It can cause severe phytophotodermatitis upon exposure to rue herbal preparations which results in burn like blisters.