Rue

This image of Rue comes the first edition of *De historia stirpium commentarii insignes,* produced by Leonhart Fuchs in 1542. This book was one of the most celebrated herbals of the sixteenth century, and features over 500 woodcut illustrations, each hand colored. This book is available in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library.

Rue (Ruta graveolens)

Ruta graveolens, an evergreen subshrub in the Citrus family, is native to southern Europe but can be found in other regions around the world (Wessner, Hofmann, & Ring, 1999). While Rue’s blue-green leaves have a bitter taste and a pungent odor, its flowers, stems, and leaves have long been used for their medicinal properties (Eickhorst, DeLeo, & Csaposs, 2007; Hale, Meepagala, Oliva, Aliotta, & Duke, 2004). Ruta graveolens has been used as an anti-inflammatory to treat cramps, external ulcers, rheumatism, eczema, and systemic infections; as an antidote for scorpion and snake venom; as an insect repellent; and as an herbal decoction for warding off evil spirits (Gawkrodger & Savin, 1983; Heskel, Amon, Storrs, & White, 1983; Sallal, 1996; Wessner et al., 1999).

Warning: Ruta graveolens is known to cause reddening, burning, itching and photodermatisis (sun poisoning rash) when rubbed on skin that has been exposed to sunlight (Gawkrodger & Savin, 1983).

Historical Use

Rembert Dodoen’s A Nievve Herball, written in 1578, provides historical information on the use of Rue. This excerpt states that mixing R. graveolens with certain foods provides protection “against the bitings of vipers and serpentes,” and its juice protects “against the bitings and stingings of Scorpions, Bees, Waspes, Hornettes and madde [dogs].”

This image comes the first edition of *De historia stirpium commentarii insignes*, produced by Leonhart Fuchs in 1542. This book is available in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library.

Latest Research

The Croatian Translation of Flos Medicinae: From Health Instructions with Medicinal Plants to Contemporary Phytotherapy
by S Inić on August 18, 2023 at 10:00 am
Medieval European medicine relied on monasteries where ancient medical works were transcribed. Trade routes to the East and the influence of Arab medicine, which supplemented the knowledge of Greco-Roman physicians, enabled the foundation and development of the Salerno Medical School, whose most famous work is Flos medicinae: Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum. This medical textbook, written in verse and drawn up on the basis of ancient sources and empirical experiences of Salerno physicians,…
Anti-inflammatory properties of ethanolic extract from Vatairea macrocarpa leaves
by Elisangela Dos Santos on June 8, 2021 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed anti-inflammatory features of EEVM (V. macrocarpa) as a natural agent against inflammatory diseases.
Phytochemical and antioxidant analysis of medicinal and food plants towards bioactive food and pharmaceutical resources
by Manyou Yu on May 12, 2021 at 10:00 am
Plants with medicinal properties play an increasingly important role in food and pharmaceutical industries for their functions on disease prevention and treatment. This study characterizes the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of seven medicinal and food plants, including the leaves of Salvia officinalis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Olea europaea L., and Punica granatum L., as well as the leaves and young stems of Ruta graveolens L., Mentha piperita L., and Petroselinum crispum,…
Chalepin and Chalepensin: Occurrence, Biosynthesis and Therapeutic Potential
by Lutfun Nahar on April 3, 2021 at 10:00 am
Dihydrofuranocoumarin, chalepin (1) and furanocoumarin, chalepensin (2) are 3-prenylated bioactive coumarins, first isolated from the well-known medicinal plant Ruta chalepensis L. (Fam: Rutaceae) but also distributed in various species of the genera Boenminghausenia, Clausena and Ruta. The distribution of these compounds appears to be restricted to the plants of the family Rutaceae. To date, there have been a considerable number of bioactivity studies performed on coumarins 1 and 2, which…
Screening of medicinal herbs for cytotoxic activity to leukemia cells
by Bui Thi Kim Ly on October 25, 2020 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: Among the 17 Vietnamese plants used to treat a variety of cancer-related diseases, A.vulgaris has been able to suppress the growth of leukemia cells.

References

Eickhorst, K., DeLeo, V., & Csaposs, J. (2007). Rue the herb: Ruta graveolens–associated phytophototoxicity. Dermatitis, 18(1), 52-55. doi:10.2310/6620.2007.06033

Gawkrodger, D. J., & Savin, J. A. (1983). Phytophotodermatitis due to common rue (Ruta graveolens). Contact Dermatitis, 9(3), 224. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1983.tb04364.x

Hale, A. L., Meepagala, K. M., Oliva, A., Aliotta, G., & Duke, S. O. (2004). Phytotoxins from the leaves of Ruta graveolens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52(11), 3345-3349. doi:10.1021/jf0497298

Heskel, N. S., Amon, R. B., Storrs, F. J., & White, C. R., Jr. (1983). Phytophotodermatitis due to Ruta graveolens. Contact Dermatitis, 9(4), 278-280. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1983.tb04390.x

Sallal, A., Alkofahi A. (1996). Inhibition of the hemolytic activities of snake and scorpion venoms in vitro with plant extacts. Biomed Lett, 53, 211-215.

Wessner, D., Hofmann, H., & Ring, J. (1999). Phytophotodermatitis due to Ruta graveolens applied as protection against evil spells. Contact Dermatitis, 41(4), 232. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1999.tb06145.x