Ruta Graveolens – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

The remedy Ruta Graveolens is derived from a plant named garden rue and bitterwort belonging to the family rutaceae. This entire fresh plant undergoes a potentization process (a process to prepare homeopathic medicines by which the medicinal properties of a crude substance are aroused). Passing of this plant through this process gives us a wonderful homeopathic medicine Ruta Graveolens. It is very effective medicine to manage cases of injury, over straining and inflammation of tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. It is a top listed medicine for managing cases of sprains and tendonitis.

Drug Action 

It has the most prominent and well defined action on the tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, bones, cartilages. Next, it acts well on the back, eyes, head, rectum and male and female genitals.

Clinical Indications

Sprains, tendonitis, backache, joint injury, arthritis, eye strain, asthenopia (eyestrain), ganglion, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, constipation, rectum prolapse, exostosis, fracture, sciatica.    

Scope as a Homeopathic Remedy

1. For injury (sprains, strains, injury to joints, bones, tendons) 

Ruta is among the top listed medicines for managing cases of injury. It works best for injury to joints, bones and tendons. It helps to heal the injured tissues and give relief in pain as well. The pain mainly is sore aching type attended with restlessness where it is required. It is one of the best homeopathic medicines for treating cases of sprains and strains. Sprains refers to overstretching or tearing of ligaments that is fibrous tissue which connects two bones together. In sprain cases it works well when accompanied with weakness in joints. For sprains it is very beneficial especially when sprain occurs in the ankle joint. Another prominent indication is lameness that remains after sprains. Strains means overstretching of the muscles. Next it is very useful for managing bone injuries and tearing of muscles, ligaments or nerves. Besides these it gives great results in cases of sore inflamed tendons (tendonitis) for which it is a top ranking medicine. Tendons are fibrous tissue that attach muscle to bone. It is prominently indicated for managing bruised pain in the bones. Pain in long bones as if broken is also a characteristic feature indicating its use.

Key indicating features

Sprains (overstretching or tearing of ligaments) especially of ankle
Sprain with weakness in joints
Lameness remaining after sprain
Sore, inflamed tendon
Bruised pain in bones
Pain in long bones as if broken

2. Limbs (sprain, joint pain, sciatica, ganglion, CTS, frozen shoulder)

Ruta acts magnificently on the limbs to treat numerous health concerns. To begin with it is highly recommended medicine for managing sprain especially ankle sprain with marked swelling and pain. It has a wonderful action on joints. It is very suitable for knee pain management. There is great difficulty in going upstairs and downstairs.  It also acts well on the wrist and hands to manage pain and stiffness. Wrist feels sprained and stiff, worsening in wet cold weather. Next main indication of Ruta is treating cases of bursitis (inflammation of fluid filled sacs called bursa near joints).
If we look further this medicine is very effective in sciatica management. Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve, where pain starts in the lower back and radiates down the hip, back of thigh, back of leg up to feet. In cases needing it for sciatica the pain goes from back down the hips to thighs. It increases on lying down at night and from sitting. It is also worse in cold weather and from cold applications. It is better from walking.
Another condition where it works wonders is dissolving ganglion (a round lump filled with jelly-like fluid usually developing in the wrist), especially of the wrist. It also acts in an excellent manner on nerves and plays a significant role in treating cases of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). It is a syndrome in which the median nerve is compressed resulting in numbness, tingling and weakness in hands and arms. It gives excellent results in cases of pain in the achilles tendon (tough fibrous band connecting calf muscle in back of leg to the heel bone). An important action of this medicine is noted in treating exostosis (extra bony growth on existing bone) cases.
In case of frozen shoulder as well it brings out great recoveries. Frozen shoulder is a condition causing pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. It works effectively in treating warts (small bumps on skin caused by human papillomavirus) on palms of hands, when warts are smooth, flat and painful.

Key indicating features

Sprain with marked swelling and pain
Knee pain with great difficulty in going upstairs and downstairs
Sciatica worse on lying down at night, from sitting and in cold weather Sciatica better from walking
Ganglion of wrist
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Achilles tendon pain
Exostosis (extra bony growth on existing bone)
Warts on palms of hands

3. Back (injury, pain)

Next, its action on the back is highly noteworthy. This medicine suits well cases of backache that occurs following an injury or a strain. Persons needing this mainly feel better in pain from lying on the back and from pressure. It acts well to treat lower back pain that is specifically worse in the morning before rising. Lower back feels bruised as well as weak. 

Key indicating features

Backache after an injury or strain
Backache better from lying on the back and from pressure
Lower back pain worse in morning before rising

4. Eyes (eyestrain)

Next it is a highly valuable medicine to deal with certain eye related concerns. It is a leading medicine to manage cases of eyestrain (asthenopia). Pain in eyes when reading occurs. The eyes also get red and painful when reading, especially small print. Vision also gets blurred. Next there is burning sensation in eyes as from fire and lachrymation (excessive tearing from eyes). Headache from eye strain is best treated with this remedy.

Key indicating features

Eyestrain (asthenopia) with pain, redness in eyes especially when reading
Headache from eye strain 

5. Rectal complaints (constipation, prolapse, stricture, cancer)

Use of Ruta is considered in treating many of the rectal complaints as well. The main among these includes constipation, rectal prolapse, stricture, and cancer of the rectum. In constipation cases there is difficult stool passed with great straining. Stool is scanty, hard like sheep’s dung. The rectum seems inactive. Tearing or stitching in rectum when sitting can be felt. Constipation may alternate with mucus and frothy stool in some cases. It can be given in cases of rectal prolapse. It is well indicated when prolapse of rectum mainly occurs when stooping, when passing stool and following childbirth. It can be used for stricture of rectum when there is narrowing of rectum from scar tissue. In homeopathic therapeutics its role in managing rectal cancer is also mentioned.

Key indicating features

Constipation with difficult stool passed with great straining and stool is scanty, hard like sheep’s dung
Prolapse of rectum when stooping, when passing stool and following childbirth

6. Male problems (injury, varicocele)

Males may find this medicine very effective to treat some of the problems. Firstly it is well indicated to manage injury to the genitals. Next it is indicated to treat varicocele that follows strain. Varicocele is enlargement of veins within scrotum that arises from defective valves of veins in scrotum.

Key indicating features

Injury to genitals
Varicocele following as strain

7. Female problems (prolapse uterus, irregular menses)

This medicine can be used in managing a few problems in females. It can be used in cases of prolapse of the uterus. Bearing down pains are felt in the uterus.
It is also helpful when there are irregular scanty menses. Menses also last for a short duration, just about two days. Vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea) occurs before and after menses. 

Key indicating features

Prolapse of uterus
Irregular, scanty menses lasting for a short duration for about two days

Modalities

Worsening factors: complaints are worse from lifting, overexertion, injury, lying, stooping, cold air, dampness

Relieving factors: complaints are better from warmth, rubbing, scratching and lying on your back.

Ruta Graveolens – Dosage

Use of this medicine is recommended in low as well as high potencies. In low potency it can be repeated often but in high potency it should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Camphor

It antidotes: Merc Sol

Followed well by: Acid Phos, Calcarea Carb, Causticum, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Sepia and Sulphur

It can be compared with other remedies including Rhus Tox, Arnica, Hypericum, Bellis Perennis, and Calcarea Fluor