Bioactive compounds in health and disease – Focus on rutin

The flavonoid rutin was first isolated from rue (Ruta graveolens L.) and is used therapeutically as a capillary stabilizing and vasoprotective agent to reduce capillary fragility, although no health claims have been approved in the EU. This article briefly focuses on physicochemical properties, occurrence in foods and oral bioavailability of rutin, with emphasis on human studies. According to the available information, rutin can be considered a promising bioactive compound, despite the paucity of clinical trials. In addition to its therapeutic relevance in pathological and pathophysiological conditions, dietary rutin can also contribute to improve the physiological status of the organism in healthy subjects, thus preventing the onset of non-communicable chronic degenerative diseases.