Zanemvula Traditional Healing 
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Ruta graveolens

Ruta graveolens.  

Afrikaans:  Wynruit

English :  Herb of grace. Rue.    You will rue the day you need it and you don’t have it.

IsiXhosa:


Description and diagnostic features   

It is a woody perennial herb. The smooth leaves are divided into little round lobes. It is very aromatic. Clusters of small  flowers are born at the end of the shoots. The little  flowers are yellow with four petals each.


Part used

Leaves and stem tips.


Uses

  1. It can be used on purpose to open the cervix when childbirth is being hindered by the cervix not opening after onset of  contractions.  Suck one little leaflet on the tongue.
  2. It also increases blood circulation to an area of the body where it is locally applied.   The skin of people who are lying unmoving in bed can develop bed sores.  It can be remedied in a few days by straying a tea made from rue leaves onto the sores when turning the bedbound people. If a leaflet is sucked at bedtime, it can help relax you and assist you faling asleep as well as reducing high blood pressure and increasing circulation to your hands and feet.
  3. When twisting an ankle  or pulling a hamstring the body reacts by trying to splint the area by tightening the tendons to protect further damage. Unfortunately that reduces the blood circulation and healing.  If you apply rue tea to the area that is hurt it will relax it and improve the circulation. Because it is now more prone to being hurt again it is your responsibility to support it with a cast or splint and immobilising it by wrapping it with soft bandages.
  4.  One of the reasons for high blood pressure is too much tension in the artery walls causing the continued contraction of the artery and the diameter of the blood vessels are narrowed letting through less blood.  When the blood pressure goes too high from stress, a headache can develop. If this pressure headache goes too high it can cause a blood vessel to rupture in the brain, causing a stroke and paralysis.  The pressure can easily be relaxed by placing one compound leaf in a cup of boiling water and slowly sipping it. Normally this relaxation can last up to a week.


Warning

Because it allows all tendons to relax it allows the cervix in pregnant women to open and they can abort.

If the dosage for reducing blood pressure is overdone the client can faint from low blood pressure.



Habitat


It grows in gardens all over the country as it is a imported herb from Europe that has remained popular.  It is frost sensitive.



Propagation


It grows easily from seed and little plants are found next to the older plants if the area is regularly watered.