Description of rutin and oxerutins
Rutin belongs to the large family of flavonoids, also known as bioflavonoids.
These plant pigments have many effects on the body, one of the most important being the reduction of capillary fragility and permeability.
Flavonoids also improve the action of vitamin C in the body, increasing its absorption and delaying its elimination.
Rutin is chemically very close to quercetin (another flavonoid) and, like quercetin, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective (protection of blood vessels) and antithrombotic (protection against blood clots) properties.
It is found in many medicinal plants, including Blue Gum, Hawthorn, Ginkgo biloba and St.John's Wort.
No food contains oxerutins: these substances are extracted from rutin by hemisynthesis.
Indications
Effective
- Reduces the symptoms of venous insufficiency
Likely to be effective
- Treat haemorrhoids
- Preventing leg swelling during air travel
Effectiveness uncertain
- Reduce lymphoedema in the limbs caused by cancer treatment
- Relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis (in combination with other enzymes)
Dosage
Venous insufficiency and haemorrhoids: 500 mg, 2 times daily.
Swelling of the legs during flights: 1 to 2 g per day for 3 days, starting 2 days before departure.
Food sources of rutin
Buckwheat is one of the best food sources of rutin.
It is also found in:
- Citrus fruits (mainly in the peel)
- Grapes
- Red wine
- Apricots
- Cherries
- Blackberries
- Apple peel
In these fruits it is usually combined with other flavonoids.
Contraindications
Some sources recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women avoid taking flavonoids in larger amounts than they would normally get from their diet, because they increase the risk of leukaemia in the baby.
However, in Europe, where oxerutin is commonly prescribed to pregnant women with varicose veins or haemorrhoids, no cases of neonatal leukaemia have been reported.