Baby Safety / Compounds / Rue oil (Ruta graveolens)

Is Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

Infants are highly susceptible to Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

What is rue oil (ruta graveolens)?

CAS number
8014-29-7

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Infants are highly susceptible to Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Severe risk

Abortifacient — traditional use as abortifacient; contraindicated

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Rue oil (Ruta graveolens).

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment—Suspected endocrine disruptor

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter rue oil (ruta graveolens)

  • Personal Care — essential oil (rue)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Rue oil (Ruta graveolens):

  • Avoidance (no chemical substitute)
    Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is rue oil (ruta graveolens) safe for kids?

Infants are highly susceptible to Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

What products contain rue oil (ruta graveolens)?

Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) appears in: essential oil (rue) (Personal care).

What should I do if my child is exposed to rue oil (ruta graveolens)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

See Rue oil (Ruta graveolens) in the baby app

Look up products containing rue oil (ruta graveolens), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →