The word “ruse” comes from Latin origins, meaning “thread”. In Greek, the word is referred to as rouse or Russell which means “thread-like”. The plant derives from a root that has a terminal leafy stem, and a single flower that grows on the inflamed and swollen base. The flower heads are surrounded by a band of gray-green foliage that contains numerous white flowers. The name stems from the medicinal value of the plant, which has been known since the days of the Egyptian pharaohs.
The therapeutic properties of this plant have been known from the earliest times, when it was used to treat eye conditions including blindness, poor sight, and fatigue. It is also known to prevent the onset of cataracts and has antifungal properties. In Europe, the common rule is the most popular herbal tea with a flavor best described as mild mint, with some people remarking that it has an earthy taste. The leaves can be chewed or used as a salad ingredient, or even mixed in water to make a refreshing drink.
Two varieties of the rue are the common rue, or European rue, and the U.S. popular rue, or Oriental rug. The common rue tends to have yellowish leaves and the white-colored Oriental variety has red leaves and flowers. Oriental rue is often called graveolens. The dried leaves and flowers are often kept as a currant. The Oriental variety has been used for culinary purposes in China, Japan and Korea for thousands of years, before ending up in Europe.
While the medicinal properties of the Chinese variety of this plant are well-known, the history of the common rue is more unclear. The seeds of the rue, called rhizomes, contain a substance called uric acid, which is a strong deterrent against bacterial and fungal infections. This makes the plant a good preventive treatment against stone and tooth decay, as well as a cure for various skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Because the seeds contain uric acid, when they are scraped off the plant, the acid settles inside the seeds, preventing them from germinating again. The acid also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and is thought to help prevent arthritis and gout.
Traditionally, the white-colored leaves are chewed for their bitter taste, which calms the appetite, as well as their soothing effect on the stomach. The bitter taste of the leaves is thought to be the result of the alkaloid compound uric acid, which has similar properties to aspirin. These properties may account for why the ancients made use of the plant in making teas, since the bitter taste of the leaves is also its biggest drawback. Modern herbalists do not consider the leaves to be poisons, but since they have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, their use in teas and as folk medicines make the rue an excellent choice as a natural remedy for many ailments.
Modern rue production uses heat sterilization methods and cold processing to make the leaves less toxic. Still, some of the traditional recipes called for fresh or dried leaves to be added to soups, salads, and stews, since the potent compounds found in the rhizome are considered too much for the body to handle when consumed in high doses. In order to ingest the medicinal benefits of the rule, it’s best to boil it or roast it, although frying the plant can sometimes yield better results. If the plant is in seed form, be sure to crush and put into a glass of water and drink the solution – this may cause the liquid to curdle, but it will be good for your health and free you from any harmful effects of ingestion. The herb can be used in cooking, or mixed into bread dough to make a paste for treating wounds and coughs, or added to teas to help clear the stomach of mucus and phlegm.