Flavonoids have been shown to have anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in humans and animals. Rutin is a glycoside of the flavonoid quercetin (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside). This means that it is a quercetin molecule bound to a sugar molecule. Rutin is found in many plants and is a naturally occuring compound. Most fruits and vegetables contain reasonable amounts of rutin, and it is one of the most abundant flavonoids in these foods. Administration of rutin to healthy mice has been shown to decrease the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and therefore by decreasing the enzyme rutin may be able to increase brain level of acetylcholine. In animals that have been exposed to treatment to induce anxiety, rutin is able to ameliorate these negative effects and thus can be considered to have an anti-anxiety effect. It is likely that these effects are due to metabolites of rutin, as it is unlikely to be able to enter the bloodstream of animals intact without modification.
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