Rutin is a bioflavonoid commonly used in conjunction with quercetin. This glycoside is found between two substances, the flavonal quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose. Rutin can also be referred to as rutoside, quercetin-3rutinoside, and sophorin. The most abundant source is in buckwheat, but can also be found in leaves and petioles of Rheum species, asparagus, fruits like noni and cranberry, citrus rinds, and black tea.
Rutin has numerous benefits and is used in applications worldwide. In the nutritional aspect it is added as one of the ingredients in multivitamin preparations and herbal remedies. It can act as a stabilizer to vitamin C therefore intensifying the ascorbic activity. There are two common functions exhibited by this compound. One, it acts as a chelate to metal ions, such as iron. By combining with cations, plant cells can absorb nutrients from the soil. In humans, this prevents the formation of free radicals in the Fenton reaction by inhibiting the bond between rutin and hydrogen peroxide. Free radicals can be detrimental to cells, as they are highly reactive. Secondly, Rutin has anti-inflammatory properties. Blood thinning occurs as it inhibits the aggregation of platelets to improve circulation. This will strengthen capillaries and reduce symptoms of haemophilia, while preventing the ease of bruising and bleeding.
Medicinal research has suggested rutin to be an antioxidant and angiogenesis inhibitor, giving it anti-carcinogenic properties. Current studies look toward preventing or delaying diabetes with the use of rutin. It targets the activity of aldose reductase, a protein most abundant in the eye but is also found in other areas of the body. Aldose reductase is the first enzyme in the Sorbitol pathway, which converts glucose into the sugar alcohol, sorbitol. By preventing the activity of aldose reductase, rutin’s inhibiting effect decreases the accumulation of intracellular sorbitol therefore benefiting those with hyperglycemia. The recommended daily consumption ranges between 1,000 mg to 3,000 mg per day. This substance has no known side effects and shows no signs of toxicity.
References: (1) http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/rutin.php (2) http://www.herbalist.com/wiki.details/RUTIN/ (3) http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/Canada/ HealthInformation/Encyclopedias/Rutin.htm
