Witnessed by: Western · Unani
Rue (Ruta graveolens), of the Rutaceae family. Evergreen woody subshrub with blue-green foliage; native range: south-east Europe and the Mediterranean; long cultivated in gardens. Globally recognized as sudab in Hindi, sadhab, faijan (سذاب) in Arabic, and herb of grace, garden rue in English. The part used is aerial parts (leaf). Strong-smelling, acrid, intensely bitter glaucous leaves that blister the sun-struck skin.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
RUE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Rue
- Scientific name
- Ruta graveolens L.
- Family
- Rutaceae
Form
- Part used
- aerial parts (leaf)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- bitter · acrid · pungent
- Unani
- bitter · pungent (acrid)
Temperature
Western: hot & dry (3rd degree)
Unani: hot & dry (3rd degree)
convergence: both {witness_count} witnesses hold it fiercely hot and dry — an acrid, driving heat
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- uterus · nerves · nervous system · digestion
- Unani
- uterus · nerves · brain · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- emmenagogue, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, rubefacient and nervine; to bring on suppressed menses, ease colic and hysteria, expel worms and clear a dim, strained sight
- Unani
- mudirr-e-haiz (emmenagogue), kaasir-e-riyah (carminative), muhallil (resolvent) and muharrik-e-asab (nervine stimulant); a chief drug for cold nervous diseases and an ingredient of the great antidotes
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy (a uterine stimulant and abortifacient), lactation; large doses
Toxicity: a violent irritant in overdose — vomiting, gastritis, hepatic and renal damage; the fresh sap raises phototoxic blistering on sun-exposed skin
Interactions
- Western
- photosensitising drugs: furanocoumarins add to phototoxic and photosensitising action
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