Abstract:

Rutagraveolens (L) has been used for centuries in the traditional system of medicine. It belongs to  the family Rutaceae. Garden rue is its English name and in Unani, it is known by the name of Suddab. It is a native of southeastern Europe but is widely naturalized in southern Europe and cultivated worldwide. In India, Suddab is commonly found in South India. It is a shrubby perennial, herb about 30-40 cm in height, stems are erect and smooth (14–45 cm). Leaves are arranged in an alternate manner, pinnate leaves and leaflets are deeply lobed obvate in shape with bluish-grey-green stalked. Flowers are shiny yellow with four spoon-shaped petals that occur in terminal umbel like groups blooms from June–September. Its constituents are glycosides, flavonoids, rutin alkaloids such as coquisagenines, kimmianine and graveoline and psoralens, bergaptene and xantotoxine, essential oils containing compounds such as methyl-nonyl-ketone,methyl-hepatyl-ketone. Psoralen is mainly responsible for its pharmacological actions, such as photosensitization therefore, it is used in Leukoderma(burs-o-behek),it is hepato-toxic also. Rutin is used as a capillary protectant so used in reducing BP and it has anti-tussive and anti-spasmolyticaction also. In the Unani system of Medicine, the whole herb is used for medicinal purposes. Its actions are stimulant (muharrik), antispasmodic( da’af-e-tashannuj), abortifacient (musqitejaneen), emmenagogue (mudrehaiz), demulsent (mulattif), antithrombotic (mufattesudad), calorific (muakhkhin), carminative (kasir e riyah) ,brain tonic (muqawwi e dimagh), appetizer (mushtahi), pruritic (mukharrish), desicant (mujaffif),  anti-inflammatory (muhallil). The present review provides pharmacological actions, chemical constituents, and therapeutic uses of Suddab.