Ruta graveolens 200C — commonly known as “Ruta” — is a deeply acting homeopathic remedy especially indicated for injuries to tendons, ligaments, periosteum (bone covering), cartilage, and the eyes, as well as for overstrain, weakness, and stiffness after trauma or repetitive use.
It’s one of the most important remedies in homeopathy for sports injuries, repetitive strain, eyestrain, and post-surgical healing — particularly when tissues feel “bruised,” “lame,” or “weak.”
🌿 Botanical Source:
- Scientific Name: Ruta graveolens L.
- Family: Rutaceae (citrus family)
- Common Names: Rue, Common rue, Herb of grace
- Origin: Southern Europe, now cultivated worldwide
- Appearance: Small shrub with yellow flowers and strong-smelling, bitter leaves
⚠️ Caution: The raw herb is toxic — can cause gastric irritation, photosensitivity, and even liver damage. In homeopathy, it’s used in potentized (diluted) form — 200C is safe and non-toxic.
💊 Key Indications for Ruta graveolens 200C:
1. 🦵 Injuries to Tendons, Ligaments & Periosteum
- Sprained ankles, wrists, knees — especially when pain feels deep and bruised.
- Feeling of “lameness” or weakness in joints.
- Pain as if “strained” or “overstretched.”
- Injuries from falls on knees, coccyx, or elbows.
- Post-fracture pain — helps heal bone covering (periosteum).
💡 “Ruta is the remedy when it hurts to move the joint, but even worse to rest it.”
2. 👁️ Eyestrain & Visual Fatigue
- From prolonged reading, screen use, or fine work (e.g., sewing, coding).
- Aching eyes, feels as if “strained back into sockets.”
- Headache from eyestrain — especially over the eyes.
- Weakness of ocular muscles — may feel cross-eyed or unfocused.
3. 🧑⚕️ Post-Surgical or Dental Trauma
- Especially after eye surgery, dental work (e.g., root canals, extractions), or orthopedic procedures.
- Helps with healing of connective tissues and reduces stiffness.
4. 🧘 Overuse, Repetitive Strain, Weakness
- Carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, writer’s cramp.
- Feels “overworked,” “stiff,” “tired,” especially in wrists, back, or legs.
- Worse from cold, damp weather.
5. 🧠 Mental State
- Feels “stuck,” discouraged, mentally exhausted.
- May feel as if “marrow is scraped out” — deep fatigue.
- Worse from mental overexertion or grief.
⚖️ Modalities (What makes it better or worse):
- Better: Warmth, lying down, stretching limbs.
- Worse: Cold, damp weather; rest (especially lying down for too long); stooping; overuse.
🔄 Paradoxical modality: Often worse from rest — unlike many remedies that improve with rest. Movement may actually bring slight relief after initial stiffness.
💉 Dosage: Ruta 200C
Ruta 200C is a medium-high potency — suitable for:
- Acute injuries (e.g., sprains, falls, strains)
- Chronic tendon/ligament issues
- Post-surgical recovery
- Eyestrain from prolonged use
🕒 Acute Use:
- Take 1 dose (3–5 pellets) every 4–6 hours for 1–3 days.
- Reduce frequency as improvement occurs.
- Stop when symptoms significantly improve — don’t overuse.
📅 Chronic or Deep Tissue Use:
- 1 dose daily or every other day for 1–2 weeks — then reassess.
- Best used under guidance of a homeopath for long-term issues.
✅ No need to repeat if improvement holds — Ruta often acts deeply and long.
🆚 Differentiation from Similar Remedies:
| Remedy | Key Difference |
|---|---|
| Arnica | For bruising, trauma, soreness — “feels beaten.” Better from rest. Ruta is forligament/tendon strain— often worse from rest. |
| Rhus toxicodendron | Stiffness worse at rest, better from continued motion. Ruta is worse from cold/damp and overstrain — less restless. |
| Bryonia | Pain worse from slightest motion, better from pressure and rest. Irritable. Ruta is more “lame” and “weak,” not necessarily worse from motion. |
| Symphytum | For trauma to thebone itself(e.g., fractures, blow to eye/periosteum). Ruta is forperiosteum and connective tissue. Often used together. |
📌 Mnemonics & Pearls:
💡 “Ruta = Rue the day you overstretched your tendons.”
💡 “Ligaments, lenses, lameness — think Ruta.”
💡 “Worse from rest? Think Ruta or Rhus tox — but Ruta is more ‘bruised and lame,’ Rhus is more ‘restless and stiff.’”
✅ When to Choose Ruta 200C:
✔️ Sprained ankle that still feels weak and bruised after a week
✔️ Tennis elbow or carpal tunnel from overuse
✔️ Eye pain from screen fatigue — aching, strained
✔️ Back pain from stooping or lifting — feels lame, stiff
✔️ Post-dental surgery — jaw or socket feels bruised
✔️ Coccyx pain after a fall — deep, bruised, worse sitting
🚫 When NOT to Use:
- If pain is primarily inflammatory and better with cold — consider Apis or Bryonia.
- If symptoms are more nerve-related (shooting, burning) — consider Hypericum or Magnesia phosphorica.
- If no improvement after 2–3 doses — reassess remedy choice.
🌟 Summary:
Ruta graveolens 200C = The remedy for strained tendons, ligaments, and eyes — deep bruised pain, worse from rest and cold, with a feeling of lameness or weakness.
Whether you’ve overused your wrists, sprained your ankle, stared at screens too long, or had dental surgery — Ruta 200C may be your healing ally.