Accorombona tricolor (Hook.) Benth. ex Walp. (1842)
Callotropis tricolor (Hook.) G.Don (1832)
Galega alba Schult. (1809)
Galega bicolor Boiss. & Hausskn. (1868)
Galega biloba Sweet (1826)
Galega coronilloides Freyn & Sint. (1893)
Galega officinalis var. albiflora Halácsy (1900)
Galega patula Steven (1856)
Galega persica Pers. (1807)
Galega tricolor Hook. (1825)
Galega vulgaris Lam. (1779)
Tephrosia tricolor (Hook.) Sweet (1830)
Seeds
Galega officinalis, commonly known as galega[2]orgoat's-rue,[3] is a herbaceous plant in the subfamilyFaboideae of the legume familyFabaceae.[4] It is native to parts of northern Africa, western Asia and Europe, but is widely cultivated and naturalised elsewhere.[4][2] The plant has been extensively cultivated as a forage crop, an ornamental, a bee plant, and as green manure.[4][5]
G. officinalis is rich in galegine, a substance with blood glucose-lowering activity and the foundation for the discovery of metformin,[6]Italian fitch,[6] a treatment for managing symptoms of diabetes mellitus.[7] In ancient herbalism, goat's-rue was used as a diuretic.[8] It can be poisonous to mammals, but is a food for various insects.[4]
The English name "goat's-rue" is a translation of the Latin Ruta capraria, used for the plant in 1554 when it was considered to be related to Ruta graveolens, or common rue.[9] The Latin specific epithetofficinalis refers to plants with some medicinal, culinary or herbal attributes.[10]
G. officinalis contains the phytochemicals, galegine and guanidine, both of which decrease blood sugar, but were discovered to cause adverse effects in human studies.[7][11] The study of galegine and related molecules in the first half of the 20th century led to development of oral antidiabetic drugs.[7][11] Research on other compounds related to guanidine, including biguanide, led ultimately to the discovery of metformin (trade name, Glucophage), used in the 21st century for management of diabetes by decreasing liver glucose production and increasing insulin sensitivity of body tissues.[7][12]
Goat's rue may interfere with prescribed diabetes drugs, iron absorption, and anticoagulants.[8] It may cause headache or muscular weakness, and its safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding is unknown.[8]
^Oakeley, Henry; Knowles, Jane; de Swiet, Michael & Dayan, Anthony (2015). "Galega officinalis". A Garden of Medicinal Plants. Little, Brown for the Royal College of Physicians. ISBN978-1-4087-0625-1.
^Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN978-1845337315.
