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Ruta graveolens, commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of the genus Ruta grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Mediterranean. It is grown throughout the world in , especially for its bluish leaves, and sometimes for its tolerance of hot and dry soil conditions. It is also Horticulture as a culinary herb, and to a lesser extent as an insect repellent and incense.
The flowers are small with 4 to 5 dull yellow petals in cymes. The first flower in each cyme is pentamerous (five sepals, five petals, five stamens and five carpels. All the others are tetramerous (four of each part). They bear brown seed capsules when pollinated.
The refined oil of rue is an emmenagogue and was cited by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder and Soranus as an abortifacient (inducing abortion).Natural History Book XX Ch LI
It has a variety of other culinary uses:
Most cats dislike the smell of it, and it can, therefore, be used as a deterrent to them (see also Plectranthus caninus).
Caterpillars of some subspecies of the butterfly Papilio machaon feed on rue, as well as other plants. The caterpillars of Papilio xuthus also feed readily on it.
In Sephardic Jews tradition, ruda is believed to possess protective qualities against malevolent forces, particularly the evil eye. It is often placed near vulnerable individuals, such as newborns, children, and mothers, to ward off evil. Beyond its symbolic significance, ruda is valued for its medicinal properties. When combined with sugar, it is traditionally used to soothe eye discomfort and alleviate the symptoms of a mild cold. Additionally, inhaling ruda is thought to mitigate the effects of shock. Ruda's significance in Sephardic Jewish culture also extends to religious practices. During Yom Kippur, a Jewish holiday marked by fasting, Sephardic synagogues often pass ruda among congregants to revitalise them.
Beyond the Sephardic tradition, Hasidic Jews also recognized the protective qualities of ruda. Hasidic Jews also were taught that rue should be placed into amulets to protect them from epidemics and plagues.This was taught by Rabbi Isaac of Komarno in his comments to Sefer Adam Yashar in the name of Rabbi Isaac Luria Other Hasidim rely on the works of a famous Baghdadi Kabbalist Yaakov Chaim Sofer who makes mention of the plant "ruda"
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It finds many household uses around the world as well. It is traditionally used in Central Asia as an insect repellent and room deodorizer.
Exposure to common rue, or herbal preparations derived from it, can cause severe phytophotodermatitis, which results in burn-like blisters on the skin. The mechanism of action is currently unknown.
Cell cultures produce the coumarins umbelliferone, scopoletin, psoralen, xanthotoxin, isopimpinellin, rutamarin and rutacultin, and the alkaloids skimmianine, kokusaginine, 6-methoxydictamnine and edulinine.
The ethyl acetate extract of R. graveolens leaves yields two , one quinoline alkaloid and four quinolone alkaloids including graveoline.
The chloroform extracts of the root, stem and leaf shows the isolation of the furanocoumarin chalepensin.
The essential oil of R. graveolens contains two main constituents, undecan-2-one (46.8%) and nonan-2-one (18.8%).
"But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs".
For Sephardic Jews, Ruda is believed to protect against the evil eye and is often placed near newborns, children, and mothers to ward off harm. It is also traditionally used for its healing properties; when combined with sugar, it can soothe eye discomfort. Inhaling ruda is thought to alleviate symptoms of shock. During Yom Kippur, ruda is sometimes used in synagogues to revitalize fasting worshippers.
In Sephardic culture, ruda also symbolizes affection and is incorporated into celebratory rituals such as bridal showers. This symbolism is also featured in the traditional Sephardic song " Una Matica de Ruda", a popular Ladino ballad sung by Sephardic Jews for centuries. It's a retelling of a 16th-century Spanish ballad, and depicts a conversation between a mother and daughter about love and marriage. The daughter receives a cluster of ruda from a suitor, while the mother warns her of the dangers of new love.
It is used by the clown Lavatch in All's Well That Ends Well (IV.5) to describe Helena and his regret at her apparent death:
It was planted by the gardener in Richard II to mark the spot where the Queen wept upon hearing news of Richard's capture (III.4.104–105):
It is also given by the rusticated Perdita to her disguised royal father-in-law on the occasion of a sheep-shearing ( Winter's Tale, IV.4):
Rue is used by Gulliver in Gulliver's Travels (by Jonathan Swift) when he returns to England after living among the "Houyhnhnms". Gulliver can no longer stand the smell of the English Yahoos (people), so he stuffs rue or tobacco in his nose to block out the smell.
"I was at last bold enough to walk the street in his (Don Pedro's) company, but kept my nose well with rue, or sometimes with tobacco".
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