Author: Praveen Saxena , Snigdha Suman Dalua
Ruta graveolens, commonly referred to as Rue, is a well known herb distinguished by its strong aroma and a bushy appearance, often found in Indian gardens. This herb is characterized by its glandular and somewhat shrubby lower parts. Its leaves are petioled and decompound, with segments that are cuneate, spathulate, or linear-oblong. The plant displays yellow flowers arranged in divaricately spreading corymbs, with pedicels longer than the capsule and bracts that are lanceolate. The fruit resembles a capsule, is obtuse, and shortly pendicelled, while the seeds are notably angled. Rue is enriched with compounds like rutin and essential oils. The entirety of the Rue plant is utilized in the preparation of a homoeopathic tincture, a practice that is supported by both the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India and the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia. Its medicinal properties were first proven by Dr. Hahnemann. Rue is predominantly recognized for its antiseptic, stimulant, and emmenagogue properties.
