Ruta graveolens is a strongly odoriferous evergreen herb or a small shrub, belonging to the family Rutaceae. It is the source of Rue or Rue oil[rx] called as Sadab or Satan in Hindi. It is native to Mediterranean region[rx] and distributed throughout the world. As currently described in literature, the genus Ruta has 14 accepted species, and among them R. graveolens L. and R. chalepensis L. are reported in Indian floras.[rx] Ruta graveolens is cultivated as a medicinal and ornamental herb in many countries including India.[rx,]

The ancient Greeks and Romans held the plant in high esteem.[rx] It is a well-known remedy for the treatment of various types of disorders as reported in various classical texts of Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, and Unani.[rx,rx] More than 120 natural compounds mainly including acridone alkaloids, coumarins, essential oils, flavonoides, and fluoroquinolones have been found in the roots and aerial parts.[rx] Various traditional uses and pharmacological properties are reviewed.[rx]

The increasing number of patients suffering from tendon and muscle injuries, especially in the course of their professional activity, continues to grow. These pains are often part of the syndrome of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). To treat those affected, homeopathic therapy has a number of suitable medications, including Ruta graveolens.

Materia Medica of Ruta Graveolens

• Mind – Irritable; holds everything in contempt. Full of desires, for what they know not.
• Head – Bones of skull feel crushed or bruised. Pain extends to teeth and root of the tongue.
• Eyes – Inflamed, red. Pain through eyeballs. Profuse lachrymation. Cornea dim. Eyes tire from near vision. State of vision constantly changing. Spasm of accommodation from the irritable weakness of the ciliary muscle. Nausea from looking on moving objects.
• Face – Blue rings around eyes. Periodical orbital neuralgia, with lachrymation, photophobia, and smarting eyelids.
• Nose – Coryza, with stoppage of nose and nausea. Epistaxis.
• Stomach – Tongue usually clean. Mouth, moist; much saliva. Constant nausea and vomiting, with pale, twitching of face. Vomits food, bile, blood, mucus. Stomach feels relaxed as if hanging down. Hiccough.
• Abdomen – Amebic dysentery with tenesmus; while straining pain so great that it nauseates; little thirst. Cutting, clutching; worse, around the navel. Body rigid; stretched out stiff.
• Stools – Pitch-like green as grass, like frothy molasses, with griping at the navel. Dysenteric, slimy.
• Female – Uterine hæmorrhage, profuse, bright, gushing, with nausea. Vomiting during pregnancy. Pain from navel to the uterus. Menses too early and too profuse.
• Respiratory – Dyspnœa; constant constriction in chest. Asthma. Yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Continued sneezing; coryza; a wheezing cough. A cough incessant and violent, with every breath. Chest seems full of phlegm but does not yield to coughing. Bubbling rales. A suffocative cough; the child becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping-cough, with a nosebleed, and from the mouth. Bleeding from lungs, with nausea; feeling of constriction; rattling cough. Croup. Hæmoptysis from slightest exertion (Millef). Hoarseness, especially at end of a cold. Complete aphonia.
• Fever – Intermittent fever, irregular cases, after Quinine. Slightest chill with much heat, nausea, vomiting, and dyspnœa. Relapses from improper diet.
• Sleep – With eyes half open. Shocks in all limbs on going to sleep (Ign).
• Extremities – Body stretched stiff, followed by spasmodic jerking of arms towards each other.
• Skin – Pale, lax. Blue around eyes. Military rash.

Indications of Ruta Graveolens

• First and foremost think about Ruta graveolens for injuries to the ligaments, tendons and the periosteum or lining of the bones –This remedy is of use in areas where the skin is close to the bone, and in injuries to cartilage and fibrous tissue.
• Overstrain, overuse, overexertion are all words that apply well to Ruta graveolens – Examples of overuse types of injuries that Ruta graveolens is well known for are:
• Tennis elbow – Ruta graveolens is a specific for this situation.
• Eyestrain – Ruta graveolens is the remedy you need to think of for non-inflammatory injuries of the eye that are caused from overexertion of the ocular muscles. Seamstresses, people working at the computer for hours at a time, or anyone else doing fine work with the eyes can benefit from this remedy for their eyestrain. It is also good for headaches and vision disturbances caused by overuse of the eyes. I would suggest dabbing the cream around the eyes to help relieve this symptom, or you can take the remedy in potency.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome – Ruta graveolens is of great benefit for overuse injuries of typists, musicians, computer programmers and other people who use their wrists excessively.
• Hardened or thickened areas or nodules over the bones, periosteum or tendons caused by overuse or injury – Construction workers, mechanics and farmers who develop thickenings or nodular growths on their hands from holding their tools all day long can benefit greatly from Ruta graveolens. This remedy can help when there has been permanent flexing of the hands or feet caused by overuse or exertion of the hands or feet.
• Back Problems – Think of Ruta graveolens for helping to relieve back pain. The characteristic Ruta graveolens back pain would be a bruised sensation, as though the person had fallen on the back or received a blow to the back or coccyx. Ruta graveolens also has weakness and lameness of the back and lower extremities from overstrain, lifting or spraining the back. You can also think about Arnica montana in this situation, as both are good for overstrain injuries of the back.
• Dental and Mouth Problems – This remedy has a wide field of action where it comes to dental problems. You should consider Ruta graveolens for the following conditions:
• Trauma to the tooth – where the tooth is loosened in the socket or knocked out of position.
• Bone and periosteal pain following dental surgery –  or pain after injection of a local anesthestic.
• The pain of dry socket – at the beginning of an infection.
• To help reduce the pain and trauma of tooth extraction – if Arnica montana does not help sufficiently.
• To ease the discomfort associated with fitting and adjusting braces.
• To help heal jaw fractures.
• Sciatica – Ruta graveolens can help with very severe sciatic pains with the characteristic Ruta graveolens pain sensation listed above, as well as bruised and darting pains. The pains are often aggravated at night when the patient lies down, and are worse on a first motion like Rhus Toxicodendron. The pains begin in the back and extend to the hips and thighs.
• Prolapsus ani – Ruta graveolens is good for prolapsus ani and many other symptoms pertaining to the rectum, including constipation. It has pain in the rectum when sitting, and is a good remedy for hemorrhoids and strictures of the rectum where the symptoms fit with Ruta graveolens.
• Lameness after sprains, especially of ankles, wrists, and knees – Ruta graveolens is one of the first remedies to be thought of for injuries to the knees. It is good for bursitis of the knee and is useful where the knees give way on going up and down the stairs, and the foot turns under from weakness of the ankles. The hamstrings feel shortened and weak.
• Surgery – Ruta graveolens should be given after joint surgery in potency to assist in healing.
• Ganglion cysts – Ruta graveolens is listed in the highest degree in homeopathic materia medicas for ganglion cysts of the wrist. If Ruta graveolens does not help with your ganglion cyst, please compare it with Silica, Calcarea fluorica and Nux vomica, which are also listed for ganglion cysts
• Pain in the feet – Ruta graveolens can help with pain in the bones and tendons of the feet. The pains are aggravated on stepping, standing and walking. The pains in the feet are often described as bruised, sore, raw and tender.
• Other things to know about Ruta graveolens – Ruta graveolens is a rheumatic remedy, meaning that the patient is aggravated by cold, wet and stormy weather. Ruta graveolens helps with the bruised bone pains from injuries, sprains or dislocations.

The Dosage of Ruta Graveolens

• Adult and children 2 years of age and older: Dissolve 5 pellets under the tongue 3 times a day until relieved or as directed by a doctor.
• Adult and children 2 years of age and older: Dissolve 5 pellets under the tongue 3 times a day until symptoms are relieved or as directed by a doctor.

References

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