A review on the chemistry and biological properties of Rutin, a promising nutraceutical agent

The name 'Rutin' has been obtained from the source plant Rutin Ruta graveolens.is a flavonoid found in a wide variety of plants and used as nutraceutical agent.It is nontoxic and naturally present in various food products of plant origin especially buckwheat seeds, apricots, tea, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, onion, plums, and oranges.Rutin is also known as vitamin P or rutoside and has been explored extensively for its various biological effects.This review describes the recent information details on the chemistry, pharmacology and various biological effects such as anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective and haematoprotective properties, etc. of rutin with its possible mechanism(s).The anticancer effects of rutin may involve induction of apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle progression in cancer cell lines.Along with anticancer activity, chemopreventive and chemosensitizing properties of rutin were also found.Various studies have shown that rutin administration improved the antioxidant defense system by elevating antioxidant biochemicals/enzymes such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase etc. and antioxidant genes, and reducing the production of lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 in the hosts which may be involved in its protective ability against different toxicities.Rutin also modulates several neuroprotective genes, including tyrosine hydroxylase and suppresses caspase-3 and ameliorates the levels of neuroprotective factors in the diabetic retina.The details of various biological properties of rutin depicted in this review establish its vital importance and provide further scope to use this nutraceutical compound to explore for more therapeutic benefits for human.