Rutin is a bioflavonoid glycoside, or flavonoid, synthesized by several plants. Flavonoids are a large family of compounds with a similar structure. Under a microscope, rutin appears as a yellow, needle-shaped crystal. It is composed of another flavonoid, quercetin, an antioxidant. Rutin is found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, but buckwheat is the richest source. As a flavonoid, rutin exerts several beneficial effects.
Beneficial Bacteria
Rutin is known as a flavonoid glycoside because it is connected to one or more sugar molecules. According to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute, even after cooking, most glycosides reach the small intestine intact. They are rapidly metabolized to form methylated, glucuronidated, or sulfated metabolites, bacteria that colonize your colon and play an important role in flavonoid metabolism and absorption.
Antioxidant
According to LPI, flavonoids demonstrate antioxidant activity and are shown to scavenge free radicals in a test tube. Antioxidants protect your body tissues and DNA from free radical damage. Though free radicals occur naturally from the process of energy production, they are unstable molecules, with an unpaired number of electrons that can damage cells and DNA as they seek to pair up. Free radical damage is associated with degenerative effects of the aging process.
Metal Chelation
Iron and copper, metal ions, are trace minerals needed in small amounts to increase the speed of the production of free radicals. They are generally bound to protein, which prevents their participation in free radical activity, however unbound metals can contribute to increased free radical activity. Rutin and other flavonoids can bind to metal ions as part of their antioxidant activity, which further helps to protect your cells from free radical damage.
Cholesterol Lowering
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, quercetin, one of the components of rutin, can help to lower low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, considered a bad form of cholesterol. Conversely, high density lipo-protein, or HDL, helps to remove excess cholesterol from your body. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.
Safety
Though rutin has beneficial health effects and there are no known interactions or side effects, it still is important to consult your doctor before taking rutin.
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