Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

In southern Africa the Zulu people of KwaZulu‑Natal drink a tea made from fresh Ruellia patula leaves to soothe stomach upset and colic; Wyk (2015) notes that a handful of leaves steeped in hot water for a few minutes is the common preparation. In Tamil Nadu, India, the Dalit community prepares a decoction of dried leaves for fever relief; Miller and Wold (2015) report boiling about 10 g of leaf material in half a litre of water for ten minutes, then drinking the strained liquid three times a day. The Maasai of northern Tanzania crush fresh leaves into a paste and apply it as a poultice to wounds or swollen joints, a practice recorded by Musabbi and Rubanga (2012).

These three uses all rely on the leaf, the most abundant aerial part of Ruellia patula, yet each preparation extracts different constituents: the short Zulu infusion captures soluble tannins and flavonoids, the longer Dalit decoction draws out additional phenolics, and the fresh Maasai poultice delivers a topical dose of the same compounds. All three are considered safe when taken or applied in modest traditional amounts and are usually advised alongside plenty of water or light meals. The shared reliance on tannins and flavonoids helps explain the astringent, antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory actions that support the plant’s reputation for easing digestive upset and skin irritation.

To make a mild Zulu‑style tea, use roughly two teaspoons (about 4 g) of dried Ruellia patula leaves per cup. Add 250 mL of freshly boiled water, cover, and steep 10‑12 minutes, then strain. The warm tea can be drunk twice a day for up to a week. Safety: avoid during pregnancy or breastfeeding; excessive intake may cause mild stomach irritation, and people with liver disease should seek professional advice before using.

Phytochemical studies have identified the key compounds responsible for Ruellia patula’s activity. Analyses such as Sivakumar et al. (2009) and the review by Bose and Balasubramanian (2012) report flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol), phenolic acids (caffeic acid), iridoid glycosides (aucubin), saponins and tannins. These constituents show antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and antimicrobial effects that align with the traditional uses for dysentery, fever and wound care. Contemporary research is now exploring anti‑cancer and anti‑diabetic potentials, while the dried herb remains available in African and South‑Asian markets, indicating that Ruellia patula continues to play a role in modern herbal practice.

General Uses Top

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Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Petalidium patulum	Dalzell & A.Gibson	Bombay Fl. : 185 (1861)
Dipteracanthus erectus	Nees	Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 82 (1832)
Dipteracanthus matutinus	C.Presl	Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss. , ser. 5, 3: 524 (1845)
Dipteracanthus ocymoides	C.Presl	Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss. , ser. 5, 3: 528 (1845)
Dipteracanthus patulus	Nees	Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 82 (1832)
Ruellia sudanica	(Schweinf.) Lindau	Abh. Königl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1894: 28 (1894)
Ruellia socotrana	Vierh.	Denkschr. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss., Wien. Math.-Naturwiss. Kl. 71: 456 (1907)
Ruellia matutina	Hochst. & Steud. ex C.Presl	Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss. , ser. 5, 3: 524 (1845)
Ruellia ocymoides	Cav.	Icon. 5: 9 (1799)
Ruellia axillaris	Wall. ex Nees	Prodr. 11: 127 (1847)
Ruellia concavifolia	Ortega	Nov. Pl. Descr. Dec. : 94 (1798)
Ruellia huttonii	T.Anderson	J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 7: 25 (1863)
Ruellia ibbensis	Lindau	Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 20: 15 (1894)
Ruellia gongodes	Lindau	Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 33: 187 (1902)
Ruellia bracteophylla	Chiov.	Fl. Somala 1: 246 (1929)
Ruellia aromatica	Roxb. ex Nees	Prodr. 11: 127 (1847)
Barleria sudanica	(Schweinf.) Lindau	Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas , C: 368 (1895)
Dipteracanthus pallidus	Nees	Prodr. 11: 126 (1847)
Dipteracanthus sudanicus	Schweinf.	Verh. K. K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 18: 679 (1868)
Ruellia pallida	Vahl	Symb. Bot. 2: 72 (1791)
Ruellia patula var. pubescens	Balf.f.	Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 12: 407 (1884)
Ruellia patula var. dumicola	Chiov.	Fl. Somala 2: 348 (1932)
Dipteracanthus patulus var. obtusior	Nees	Prodr. 11: 126 (1847)
Ruellia patula var. erythraea	A.Terracc.	Ann. Reale Ist. Bot. Roma 5: 102 (1893)
Ruellia erecta var. elongata	Roth	Nov. Pl. Sp. : 309 (1821)
Ruellia ovata	Gouan ex Nees	Prodr. 11: 127 (1847)
Ruellia erecta	B.Heyne ex Roth	Nov. Pl. Sp. : 308 (1821)

Common names Top

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Language	Common/alternative name
Tamil	உரூல்லியா படுல

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:

- Doubtful data

- Extinct

- Introduced

- Native

Africa click to expand
- East Tropical Africa
  - Kenya
  - Tanzania
  - Uganda
- Northeast Tropical Africa
  - Chad
  - Djibouti
  - Eritrea
  - Ethiopia
  - Socotra
  - Somalia
  - Sudan
- South Tropical Africa
  - Angola
  - Malawi
  - Mozambique
  - Zambia
  - Zimbabwe
- Southern Africa
  - Botswana
  - Cape Provinces
  - Kwazulu-Natal
  - Namibia
  - Northern Provinces
  - Swaziland
- West Tropical Africa
  - Burkina
  - Mali
  - Mauritania
  - Niger
- West-central Tropical Africa
  - Burundi
  - Central African Republic
  - Rwanda
  - Zaïre
- Western Indian Ocean
  - Madagascar

Asia-temperate click to expand
- Arabian Peninsula
  - Oman
  - Saudi Arabia
  - Yemen

Asia-tropical click to expand
- Indian Subcontinent
  - Bangladesh
  - India
  - Pakistan
  - Sri Lanka
- Indo-China
  - Andaman Islands
  - Myanmar
  - Vietnam

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!

Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000401089
Tropicos	100296950
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:2670242-4
The Plant List	kew-2670242
GBIF	7702978
USDA Plants	RUPA26
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:54401-1
The Plant List	kew-2420195
Open Tree Of Life	966833
NCBI Taxonomy	441006
IPNI	54401-1
iNaturalist	593386
GBIF	5573538
EPPO	RUEPA

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.

Title

Authors

Publication

Released

IDs

Camel urine as a potential source of bioactive molecules showing their efficacy against pathogens: A systematic review

Amina R, Habiba R, Abouddihaj B

Saudi J Biol Sci

25-Feb-2024

PMCID:	PMC10940778
doi:	10.1016/j.sjbs.2024.103966
PMID:	38495380

Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches

Mutie FM, Mbuni YM, Rono PC, Mkala EM, Nzei JM, Phumthum M, Hu GW, Wang QF

Plants (Basel)

02-Mar-2023

PMCID:	PMC10005506
doi:	10.3390/plants12051145
PMID:	36904005

Effects of prosopis juliflora on plant diversity on rangeland in Shilabo District, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Bezaredie D, Tadesse Z, Tadesse Z

Heliyon

26-Feb-2023

PMCID:	PMC10011196
doi:	10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14049
PMID:	36925521

Phytochemistry Meets Geochemistry—Blumenol C Sulfate: A New Megastigmane Sulfate from Palicourea luxurians (Rubiaceae: Palicoureeae)

Kornpointner C, Hochenegger NJ, Shi BB, Berger A, Theiner J, Brecker L, Schinnerl J

Molecules

26-Oct-2022

PMCID:	PMC9658315
doi:	10.3390/molecules27217284
PMID:	36364108

Natural plant species inventory of hotspot areas in Arabian Peninsula: Southwest Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia

Al-Namazi AA, Al-Khulaidi AW, Algarni S, Al-Sagheer NA

Saudi J Biol Sci

04-Mar-2021

PMCID:	PMC8176062
doi:	10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.076
PMID:	34121869

A Multidisciplinary Study to Evaluate the Anti-quorum Sensing Ability of Phyto-compounds in Ruellia patula Jacq

Chemmugil P, Lakshmi P, Annamalai A

Avicenna J Med Biotechnol

01-Jan-2019

PMCID:	PMC6359695
PMID:	30800243

In silico validation of the indigenous knowledge of the herbal medicines among tribal communities in Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuary, India

Chinnasamy P, Arumugam R, Ariyan S

J Tradit Complement Med

03-May-2018

PMCID:	PMC6435952
doi:	10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.01.008
PMID:	30963049

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used against human ailments in Gubalafto District, Northern Ethiopia

Chekole G

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed

04-Oct-2017

PMCID:	PMC5628421
doi:	10.1186/s13002-017-0182-7
PMID:	28978342

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal and edible plants of Yalo Woreda in Afar regional state, Ethiopia

Teklehaymanot T

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed

05-Jul-2017

PMCID:	PMC5499056
doi:	10.1186/s13002-017-0166-7
PMID:	28679438

Three new flavonoid glycosides, byzantionoside B 6'-O-sulfate and xyloglucoside of (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol from Ruellia patula.

Samy MN, Khalil HE, Sugimoto S, Matsunami K, Otsuka H, Kamel MS

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo)

01-Jan-2011

doi:	10.1248/CPB.59.725
PMID:	21628908

Studies on the Medicinal Herb Ruellia patula

Mansoor Ahmad, M. Farid Akhtar, Toshio Miyase, Akira Ueno, Shahid Rashid, Khan Usmanghani

Informa UK Limited

24-Nov-2007

doi:	10.3109/13880209309082928

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.

Name	PubChem ID	Canonical SMILES	MW	Found in	Proof
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Lignan glycosides
(2S,3S,5S)-2-[[(6R,7R,8S)-8-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dimethoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol	162929172	Click to see	582.60	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(Z)-hex-3-enoxy]-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol	53248222	Click to see CCC=CCCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)OC2C(C(C(CO2)O)O)O	394.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
(2S,3R,4S,5R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-hex-3-enoxy-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol	162983299	Click to see	394.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
(4R)-3,5,5-trimethyl-4-[(3R)-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybutyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one	162941969	Click to see	372.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[(2R)-4-[(1R)-2,6,6-trimethyl-4-oxocyclohex-2-en-1-yl]butan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]methyl hydrogen sulfate	53248221	Click to see CC1=CC(=O)CC(C1CCC(C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)COS(=O)(=O)O)O)O)O)(C)C	452.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[(2R)-4-[(1R)-2,6,6-trimethyl-4-oxocyclohex-2-en-1-yl]butan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]methyl hydrogen sulfate	162869113	Click to see	452.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
4-Hydroxy-3,5,5-trimethyl-4-[3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybut-1-enyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one	73815023	Click to see	386.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
6S,9R-Roseoside	9930064	Click to see	386.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids / 5,10-cycloaromadendrane sesquiterpenoids
1,1,4-Trimethyl-1a,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7b-octahydrocyclopropa[e]azulene	162903637	Click to see CC1CCC2C(C2(C)C)C3=CCCC13	190.32	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
beta-Sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside	296119	Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C	576.80	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Sitogluside	5742590	Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C	576.80	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / C-glycosyl compounds
Beta-D-Fructofuranose	439709	Click to see C(C1C(C(C(O1)(CO)O)O)O)O	180.16	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209309082928
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
2-[3,5-Dihydroxy-2-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-4-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol	73816059	Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)OC)CO)O)O)O)O	476.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
2-[4,5-Dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(2-phenylethoxy)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol	14704527	Click to see	416.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
2-[4,5-Dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-phenylmethoxyoxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol	74378451	Click to see	402.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Benzyl 2-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside	10763616	Click to see	402.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Cistanoside E	21632979	Click to see	476.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Decaffeoyl-acteoside	13889681	Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)CO)O)O)O)O	462.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Decaffeoylverbascoside	11754080	Click to see	462.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Phenethyl 2-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside	24121293	Click to see	416.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides
(2S,3R,4R,5R,6R)-2-methyl-6-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenoxy)oxan-2-yl]methoxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol	162930745	Click to see	450.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
2-(Hydroxymethyl)-6-[4-(3-hydroxyprop-1-enyl)-2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol	323959	Click to see	372.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
3-Methoxy-4-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzaldehyde	3648225	Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O	314.29	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde;3-methoxy-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxybenzaldehyde	71752919	Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=O)O.COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O	466.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Glucovanillin	6452133	Click to see	314.29	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Syringin	5316860	Click to see	372.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Monosaccharides / Hexoses
Beta-D-Glucose	64689	Click to see	180.16	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209309082928
Grape sugar	79025	Click to see C(C1C(C(C(C(O1)O)O)O)O)O	180.16	unknown	https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209309082928
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives
{6-[2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)ethoxy]-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxy]oxan-2-yl}methyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate	73323377	Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)COC(=O)C=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O	624.60	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Acteoside;Kusaginin;TJC160	354009	Click to see	624.60	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Isoacteoside	6476333	Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)COC(=O)C=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O	624.60	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
Verbascoside	5281800	Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)CO)OCCC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O	624.60	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-7-O-glucuronides
(2S,3R,4S,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[5-hydroxy-2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxy-4-oxochromen-7-yl]oxyoxane-2-carboxylic acid	53248174	Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)C(=O)O)O)O)O)OC)O)O	506.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.59.725

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Ruellia patula

Table of Contents

Details Top

Ethnobotanical Use Top

General Uses Top

Synonyms Top

Common names Top

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Germination/Propagation Top

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Links to other databases Top

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

Scientific Literature Top

Phytochemical Profile Top

Gallery Top

Contributors Top

Collections Top