Ruta chalepensis Health Dictionary

Ruta Chalepensis: From 1 Different Sources


Linn.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Native to Southern Europe and North Africa; cultivated in Indian gardens. (Most of the reports of the Garden Rue, cultivated in India, refer to this species and not to Ruta graveolens.)

Unani: Jangali Sudaab.

Siddha/Tamil: Arvada.

Action: Plant—antispasmodic, sudorific. Stimulates the nervous system; commonly used in decoction in convulsions and fever. Also used as a fumigant in infant catarrh.

The plant gave an essential oil which contains chiefly methyl heptyl ketone (while Ruta graveolens contains 8090% methyl nonyl ketone and methyl heptyl ketone in small amounts). Rutin is the most important active principle of the plant, responsible for its anti- inflammatory and tumour-inhibiting effect.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Ruta Graveolens

Linn.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Native to Mediterranean region; cultivated all over India.

English: Garden Rue.

Unani: Sudaab, Suddaab.

Siddha/Tamil: Aruvada.

Action: Herb—stimulating, antispasmodic, stomachic; irritant, abortifacient. Used as an emme- nagogue, in hysterical conditions, cough and croupy affections, colic and flatulence. Leaf—used in atonic amenorrhoea, menorrhoea and colic. Externally, used for sciatica, headache, muscular chest pain, bronchitis and arthritic conditions. (Fresh juice of leaves, internally, can lead to painful irritations of the stomach and intestines). Oil— antispasmodic, antiepileptic, em- menagogue, rubefacient. (Toxic in large doses.)

Ruta graveolens has been included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.

The herb contains a volatile oil, with 2-undecanone (30.73) 2-nona- none (18.06), 2-nonyl acetate (11.03), psoralen (1.28) and bergapten and xan- thotoxin (7.24%); rutin (about 2%). The flavonoids include quercetin; cou- marins include bergapten, daphnore- tin, isoimperatorin, naphthoherniarin, psoralen, pangelin, rutamarin, rutarin, scopoletin and umbelliferone. Tissue culture of the plant gave furacridone alkaloids. Tissue culture of the root gave gravacridondiol and its glucoside.

The spasmolytic activity of the herb is attributed to the presence of bergapten, xanthotoxin and the essential oil. Anti-inflammatory and antitumour activity is due to rutin. The furo- coumarins are responsible for the herb's phototoxicity.

The herb is hepatotoxic, and is con- traindicated in kidney diseases and bleeding disorders. (Sharon M. Herr.) Maximum safe level is 0.001% for Rue and 0.0002% for the oil. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... ruta graveolens



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