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Ruta fragrant is widespread in China, Japan, in the USSR - in the Crimea. The homeland is southern Europe. It is bred in gardens in the GDR and FRG and in other countries.
Ruta herb harvested during the flowering period is used. The whole plant has a strong, peculiar odor, which is of an unpleasant character, but when dried changes to a fragrance resembling that of a rose. The flavor is sharp, bitter.
Chemical composition
.Ruta fragrantis contains the flavonol rutin and essential oil up to 0.136% on dry weight by the end of the growing season, furocoumarins: bergapten, xanthoxin, and alkaloids. Leaves collected during flowering contain 0.124-0.184% essential oil.
Action and application
.The plant is poorly studied. Ruta herb has antispasmodic, tonic properties.
Indian medicine uses ruta fragrantum as a stimulant, antiseptic and abortifacient (Chopra et all., 1956).
In Chinese medicine, ruta herb is used as an anti-spastic agent and is prescribed for headaches associated with vasospasm, anxiety, pneumonia, amenorrhea, and epileptiform convulsions in children. Included in various collections used for rheumatism, exhaustion, and marasmus. Externally - in scabies and other diseases. Ruta leaves find use for making beverages and flavoring tea, and as an antidote for snake bites. In Chinese medicine emphasizes the effectiveness of this plant especially for external use, for which fresh washed with boiling water herb rubbed, prepared from her ointment. It is taken internally in the form of tea and powder.
In Austria, ruta leaves harvested before flowering and the flowering herb are used for rheumatism, heart disease (especially palpitations), neuroses, gout, and poor eyesight. Tea from the herb ruta has a favorable effect on women in menopause, but is contraindicated in pregnancy; in addition, it is considered a good remedy for impotence. According to Austrian researchers, rutin accumulation in ruta is highest in July; rutin is known to be recommended for vascular fragility and paralysis. It is used in the form of decoction or cold infusion.
In the GDR and Poland, the herb ruta fragrant herb is used as an anti-spastic, atherosclerosis and other diseases. Prescribed only by a physician.
Fresh ruta herb, when applied to the skin, causes redness and inflammation. When poisoning with large doses of the plant, salivation, swelling of the tongue, acute gastrointestinal distress, difficulty breathing, and bradycardia are observed. External use of ruta (the whole plant) can cause skin burns.
The herb ruta is official in eight countries (Klan, 1948).
In domestic folk medicine herb ruta is used internally in the form of decoction for hysteria, epilepsy, loss of strength, stomach cramps (together with valerian root), with menstrual disorders (together with parsley root), in the form of baths for scrofula and rickets. Fresh ruta juice is used for wounds and purulent conjunctivitis. In the medicine of ancient peoples, ruta was used as a vision-strengthening and antidote.
The young leaves of ruta are consumed as food.
Ruta fragrant (above-ground part during flowering) we use as an antispasmodic, tonic agent for atherosclerosis, neurotic syndrome, especially during menopause. It is used intermittently under the strict supervision of a physician..
