Rutin

by Kat Matina February 3, 2020

It cannot be said enough that a balanced diet is the first guarantee of good health for the body. By consuming a variety of foods every day, which have undergone as little processing as possible, we provide our body with the nutrients it needs. needed for optimal operation.

Unfortunately, in the majority of cases our lifestyle makes us suffer from stress from different sources (pollution, tobacco, alcohol, junk food, etc.).

In these cases, the use of antioxidant-based food supplements can be a valuable support to strengthen our body. Rutin, an antioxidant plant compound, is part of this plant “medicine cabinet”...

Overview of Rutin

Rutin, also known as rutoside or sophorin, is a bioflavonoid, that is to say a natural compound with antioxidant properties. The name rutin comes from the presence of this compound in rue, an aromatic shrub native to the Mediterranean. But rutin is found in several plants.

Best Food Sources of Rutin

Sophora Japonica,
Buckwheat,
Capers,
Black olives,
Asparagus,
Raspberry,
Blackcurrant,
Plums,
Green bean,
Black tea,
Green tea,
Parsley,
Rhubarb,
Blueberry,
Ginkgo biloba,
Quince

Composition and medicinal properties of rutin

Flavonoids are a family of natural molecules from the plant world. They were previously called vitamin P. Today we talk about vitamin P action, for capillary permeability. What is it about? Not our next hairdresser appointment!

Rutin therefore has a vitamin P action, that is to say that it helps to reduce the fragility and permeability of blood vessels. This property is very useful when suffering from venous insufficiency, heavy legs or varicose veins, hemorrhoids , microangiopathy and also loss of visual acuity linked to a weakness of the vessels of the retina. Rutin therefore strengthens the blood vessels.

It is also known for its indirect hemostatic action. In concrete terms, this means that rutin helps stop bleeding without having negative effects on blood clotting. It participates in the general control of blood circulation, and helps prevent the formation of clots. Due to its hemostatic properties, it also has a positive effect on bruises, and effectively combats edema, particularly those caused by varicose veins.

As a bioflavonoid, we cannot talk about rutin without mentioning its powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants have the ability to trap free radicals and thus protect our body from pollutants that accelerate cell aging and promote the appearance of health disorders. Antioxidants also have an anti-inflammatory action and help normalize blood cholesterol levels, particularly by reducing bad cholesterol (LDL).

What does science say about the benefits of rutin?

A study on the antioxidant activity of rutin was carried out on in vitro cells and demonstrated that this bioflavonoid actually has a very powerful positive effect in the fight against free radicals, more effective than some standard antioxidants (1) (2). This same study (1) revealed the effects of rutin on bad cholesterol. It leads to an inhibition of lipid peroxidation at the origin of the appearance of bad cholesterol. (3)

The discovery of the anti-inflammatory properties of rutin has been the subject of a study on rodents suffering from osteoarthritis. Daily doses of rutin, equivalent to 80 mg of body weight, have shown the significant inhibitory action of this molecule on chronic and acute inflammation processes (4).

Finally, rutin and its anti-cancer properties have been studied, particularly during a clinical trial involving leukemia cells. In this study, researchers were able to observe that rutin consumption significantly reduced the various markers of leukemia.

In addition, rutin had the effect of significantly reducing the weight of certain organs, such as the liver and spleen, whose volume tends to increase morbidly in cases of leukemia (5) (6).

Some uses of rutin have not yet been the subject of scientific studies, but are nevertheless mentioned in a reference pharmacology summary (7), by Doctor Jean Bruneton. The latter recommends rutin in the cases of:

functional manifestations of veno-lymphatic insufficiency,
symptomatic treatment of functional disorders of capillary fragility ,
treatment of functional signs linked to the hemorrhoidal crisis ,
loss of acuity and visual field disorders of vascular origin.

Dosage and contraindications of rutin

To date, there are no official recommendations on rutin dosages. However, there is advice recommending doses ranging from 500 to 1000 mg of rutin per day.

The effects of rutin supplementation are generally felt after several weeks of use. There are no reported side effects or adverse effects from taking rutin supplements.

Rutin, a little-known supplement with powerful benefits

Although still little used, rutin has proven to have powerful beneficial effects on health. It can be used safely to help the body regain optimal health, but also to positively support certain very specific pathologies.