Medical use and toxic properties of rue (Ruta graveolens) and peppermint

University of Pannonia, Institute of Environmental Engineering, 8200 Veszprém

P.O.Box 158, toxlab@almos.vein.hu

Several chemicals have been identified which are produced by different herbs, also, their mode of action is also well-known. The purpose of the study was to find out if herbs are producing chemicals ‘on purpose’, for self-defence. Specificity of chemicals produced by two selected medical plants, rue (Ruta graveolens) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) was represented by different ecotoxicity tests: insecticide property by standard Daphnia test and bactericide property by the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition test.