Rue

Ruta graveolens L.

Chemotype: 2-nonanone / undecanal type

chocolate-likeherbaceousfattypowerful

PLANT PART: whole plant
EXTRACTION: steam distillation
AROMA NOTE: mid

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

I’m interested in

Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

chocolate-likeherbaceousfattypowerful

Aroma intensity: 75 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: mid

If you like this scent, explore

A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: 20%
Phototoxicity: Phototoxic — use caution
Oxidation risk: medium

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

Rue is listed among phototoxic essential oils in the cited AromaWeb safety reference, but no public numeric phototoxic maximum was verified in this pass.

Contraindications & cautions

majorRue is treated as a hazardous oil and should be avoided in pregnancy.
majorRue is a hazardous phototoxic oil and should only be handled with expert-level topical caution.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

8 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This record is anchored to a public Jordan GC-MS paper on hydrodistilled Ruta graveolens aerial-part oil and a current supplier dossier for commercial rue oil. The public chemistry located in this pass shows substantial chemotype variability across origins, so this file keeps only the exact Jordan percentages rather than inventing broad ranges. Safety framing is conservative because public modern rue guidance is mostly hazard and IFRA paperwork rather than a dedicated aromatherapy dermal monograph.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
2-Nonanone	37.13%	37.13–37.13%	aliphatic ketone	View source The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil https://jjbs.hu.edu.jo/files/v8n2/Paper%20Number%2010m.pdf (page 2 lines 180-183 and 290-292: 2-nonanone 37.13%)
Undecanal	34.69%	34.69–34.69%	aliphatic aldehyde	View source The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil https://jjbs.hu.edu.jo/files/v8n2/Paper%20Number%2010m.pdf (page 2 lines 180-183 and 290-292: undecanal 34.69%)
2-Acetoxydodecane	5%	5–5%	aliphatic ester	View source The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil https://jjbs.hu.edu.jo/files/v8n2/Paper%20Number%2010m.pdf (page 2 lines 181-183 and 291-292: 2-acetoxydodecane 5.0%)
2-Decanone	3.31%	3.31–3.31%	aliphatic ketone	View source The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil https://jjbs.hu.edu.jo/files/v8n2/Paper%20Number%2010m.pdf (page 2 lines 181-183 and 291-292: 2-decanone 3.31%)
Octyl acetate	7.3%	—	aliphatic acetate ester	View source Ruta EO review (PMC8400350) Table 1: R. graveolens Brazil-Maranhao leaf (2-nonanone 39.2%, octyl acetate 7.3%) matches our high-2-nonanone chemotype; India aerial parts (2-tridecanone 2.6%, 2-dodecanone 2.2%); geijerene 1.6%
2-Tridecanone	2.59%	—	aliphatic methyl ketone	View source Ruta EO review (PMC8400350) Table 1: R. graveolens Brazil-Maranhao leaf (2-nonanone 39.2%, octyl acetate 7.3%) matches our high-2-nonanone chemotype; India aerial parts (2-tridecanone 2.6%, 2-dodecanone 2.2%); geijerene 1.6%
2-Dodecanone	2.23%	—	aliphatic methyl ketone	View source Ruta EO review (PMC8400350) Table 1: R. graveolens Brazil-Maranhao leaf (2-nonanone 39.2%, octyl acetate 7.3%) matches our high-2-nonanone chemotype; India aerial parts (2-tridecanone 2.6%, 2-dodecanone 2.2%); geijerene 1.6%
Geijerene	1.6%	—	norsesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Ruta EO review (PMC8400350) Table 1: R. graveolens Brazil-Maranhao leaf (2-nonanone 39.2%, octyl acetate 7.3%) matches our high-2-nonanone chemotype; India aerial parts (2-tridecanone 2.6%, 2-dodecanone 2.2%); geijerene 1.6%

Profile source: The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil; Madar Rue Oil dossier; AromaWeb phototoxicity and hazardous essential oils lists · https://jjbs.hu.edu.jo/files/v8n2/Paper%20Number%2010m.pdf (aerial-part hydrodistillation and exact GC-MS composition) ; https://www.madarcorporation.com/spec-sheets/essential-oil/rue/Rue%20-%204579204%20All%20doc.pdf (whole plant; steam distillation; odour chocolate note, herbaceous, fatty; IFRA Class 5 max level 20.00%) ; https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/phototoxicity-essential-oils.php (Rue listed as phototoxic) ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/hazardous-and-dangerous-essential-oils.php (Rue listed as hazardous)

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

historically used in folk aromatic traditions, though modern aromatherapy treats it with caution due to its strong, sharp profile
used in very small proportions in some traditional herbal and perfumery contexts for a green, bitter facet
traditionally associated with protective or ritual use in some folk custom contexts
not commonly used in modern therapeutic-style aromatherapy blends due to its potent, potentially irritant nature

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 3 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

The stored max_dermal_pct is the public IFRA Class 5 body-lotion/body-oil limit from a supplier dossier, not a dedicated aromatherapy topical ceiling.
No public numeric phototoxic dermal maximum was verified in this pass even though rue is clearly flagged as phototoxic.
Odor intensity 75 is an archive normalization from the supplier's odor wording and the Jordan paper's description of a powerful leaf odor rather than a directly published numeric scale.