Rue belongs to the rue family and is classified among the spice plants and medieval medicinal plants. Due to the strong effect of its predominantly ethereal components, an above-average knowledge of herbs is necessary. Outside the specialized trade and homeopathy, it is nowadays mainly used as an ornamental plant by lovers of old plant varieties.
Occurrence and cultivation of rue
Rue is particularly beneficial for eye problems, compresses or eye baths with the plant extracts quickly provide relief. The rue plant (Ruta graveolens) grows in feral stands in vineyards, but is now rarely found. The plant was already popular in ancient times as a spice of the ancient cuisine of Rome. In the Middle Ages, Benedictine monks cultivated rue in their monastery gardens and recognized its healing properties. It is also known by the popular name rue and the English name rue. In natural occurrences, this perennial plant settles in the Mediterranean region, where it prefers calcareous and sandy soils with plenty of sun. The perennial medicinal herb has small and roundish leaves, which become narrower as they progress to the stem. Its blue-green color is striking, which is due to its being covered with a layer of wax. The leaflets have a fine division in the form of a cleft. Vegetatively, the medicinal herb is classified as a semi-shrub with weakly woody lower branches. The rue can reach a height between 40 cm and one 1 meter. The scientific epithet “graveolens” comes from the Latin language and is translated as “strong-smelling”. This name indicates the strong aromatic and peculiarly sweet scent of the rue leaves, which is also said to keep away bugs and snails quite reliably. This intense smell is due to the numerous oil glands, the leaves taste bitter, the rue fruits even somewhat burning. Responsible for the bitterness is an 8 percent rutin, a polyphenolic (aromatic compound) flavolone glycoside (secondary plant compound) containing disaccharide rutinosee (reducing sugar). The hermaphrodite flowers are almost odorless. They are formed as four-petaled lateral flowers and terminal five-petaled. The truss-like inflorescence appears as a panicle-like pleiochasium (verrucate inflorescence). The flowering period of the four- to five-fold capsule fruits lasts from June to November.
Effect and application
Malic acid, rutin, essential oil, coumarin glycoside, bitter compounds, glycosides, resin, various alkaloids, methyl anthranilate, terpene derivatives, anethole glycol and starch act as medicinal ingredients. Only the blue-green leaves are used, which carry these ingredients. For this reason, the yellow flowers are rarely used in herbal medicine as an addition to mixed herbal teas. Prepared as a tea, the leaves of rue unfold their effect against digestive complaints as well as hot flashes and increased blood tendency in the head during menopause. It promotes blood circulation, relieves cramps and counteracts menstrual cramps. The active ingredients of rue record a positive healing effect on flatulence, high blood pressure, rheumatism, gout, irritable stomach, irritable bowel, circulatory disorders, gout, inflammation, bone pain and stomach cramps. Rue is especially beneficial for the eyes. In cases of poor eyesight, strain and burning eyes, compresses or eye baths with the plant extracts quickly provide relief. Easy to use is rue in the form of an organic herbal elixir, which can be purchased online at various drugstores, pharmacies and herbal stores.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Contraindication is pregnancy, because the active ingredients of rue can cause miscarriage. This risk is due to the fact that an overdose of the potent ingredients causes contraction of the uterus. In addition, rue develops a phototoxic effect. When touched and exposed to sunlight at the same time, the rue plant can cause skin damage in the form of discoloration, burn blisters and irritation. Due to its complex effects, which in some cases are not harmless, this medicinal plant is hardly ever used in its natural state. Some ingredients of rue, such as the highly concentrated alkaloids, are classified as highly toxic classes of substances.For this reason, it is advisable to use this medicinal herb on your own only if you have a very good knowledge of herbs. Proponents of herbal medicine can rely on the expertise of pharmacists and homeopaths. Ruta is offered in the form of homeopathic products as globules, ampoules, tablets and drops. The symptomatic appearance of rue in homeopathy is restless and anxious. The predominant feelings are weakness, bruisedness and fatigue. Persons in whom Ruta is indicated are not amenable to objective arguments, easily irritable and unfocused. For this reason, they perceive their surroundings more subjectively than objectively and often lapse into acts of defiance when those around them do not share their opinion. Because of their psychological orientation, they are also prone to unexplained anxiety and hypochondria. The physical symptoms are reddened eyes, inflammation of the tendons, and general painfulness. Since the homeopathic dosage form is expertly potentized, the natural and toxic ingredients are neutralized. There are no known side effects in this dosage form. To avoid a drug trial, it is advisable to take Ruta only in concert with the clinical picture and after consulting a homeopath. Involuntary drug testing in homeopathy means that remedies taken on mere suspicion without prior testing for the clinical picture may aggravate rather than improve symptoms or be ineffective. Also, different preparations taken at the same time may cancel each other’s effects or make them undesirably worse. Homeopaths have detailed knowledge of the available homeopathic substances and prescribe their patients the preparations exclusively in accordance with the personal clinical picture, because they assume, unlike conventional doctors, that every organism and person reacts differently to disturbances of health. He assigns even the smallest details to the individual complaints of the patient and thus finds the appropriate remedy. In the perfume industry, rue enjoys great popularity because of its essential oils.
