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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Galega officinalis''
| image = Galegaofficinalis03.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Galega officinalis'' flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Loteae]]
| genus = ''[[Galega]]''
| species = '''''G. officinalis'''''
| binomial = ''Galega officinalis''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Galega officinalis''''' (also known as '''Goat's Rue''', '''French Lilac''', '''Italian Fitch''' or '''Professor-weed''') is a plant from the ''[[Galega]]'' genus of the [[Faboideae]]. Its name derives from ''gale'' ([[milk]]) and ''ega'' (to bring on), as ''Galega'' has been used as a galactologue in small domestic animals (hence the name "Goat's rue"). ''Galega bicolor'' is a synonym. It is a hardy perennial that blooms in the summer months.
Other ''Galega'' species are ''[[Galega orientalis]]''.
''Galega'' is used as a food plant by the [[larva]] of ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora vicinella]]'', a species of [[moth]].
==Medical use==
''Galega officinalis'' has been known since the [[Middle Ages]] for relieving the symptoms of [[diabetes mellitus]]. Upon analysis, it turned out to contain [[guanidine]], a substance that decreases [[blood sugar]] by decreasing [[insulin resistance]].
Chemical derivatives from the [[biguanide]] class of [[medication]] include [[metformin]] (Glucophage, commonly prescribed for [[diabetes mellitus|diabetics]]) and the older, withdrawn agent [[phenformin]].
== Sources ==
* Witters LA. The blooming of the French lilac. J Clin Invest 2001;108:1105–1107. DOI [http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI200114178 10.1172/JCI200114178].
== External links ==
{{commons|Galega officinalis|Galega officinalis}}
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=47101&lvl=3&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Taxonomy] on NCBI (National Library of Medicine).
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GAOF Noxious Weed] USDA Noxious & Invasive Weeds.
[[Image:Illustration Galega officinalis0.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Galega officinalis - from Thomé <br /><small>''Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz'' 1885</small>]]
[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Invasive plant species]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Galega officinalis''
| image = Galegaofficinalis03.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Galega officinalis'' flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Loteae]]
| genus = ''[[Galega]]''
| species = '''''G. officinalis'''''
| binomial = ''Galega officinalis''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Galega officinalis''''' (also known as '''Goat's Rue''', '''French Lilac''', '''Italian Fitch''' or '''Professor-weed''') is a plant from the ''[[Galega]]'' genus of the [[Faboideae]]. Its name derives from ''gale'' ([[milk]]) and ''ega'' (to bring on), as ''Galega'' has been used as a galactologue in small domestic animals (hence the name "Goat's rue"). ''Galega bicolor'' is a synonym. It is a hardy perennial that blooms in the summer months.
Other ''Galega'' species are ''[[Galega orientalis]]''.
''Galega'' is used as a food plant by the [[larva]] of ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora vicinella]]'', a species of [[moth]].
==Medical use==
''Galega officinalis'' has been known since the [[Middle Ages]] for relieving the symptoms of [[diabetes mellitus]]. Upon analysis, it turned out to contain [[guanidine]], a substance that decreases [[blood sugar]] by decreasing [[insulin resistance]].
Chemical derivatives from the [[biguanide]] class of [[medication]] include [[metformin]] (Glucophage, commonly prescribed for [[diabetes mellitus|diabetics]]) and the older, withdrawn agent [[phenformin]].
== Sources ==
* Witters LA. The blooming of the French lilac. J Clin Invest 2001;108:1105–1107. DOI [http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI200114178 10.1172/JCI200114178].
== External links ==
{{commons|Galega officinalis|Galega officinalis}}
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=47101&lvl=3&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Taxonomy] on NCBI (National Library of Medicine).
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GAOF Noxious Weed] USDA Noxious & Invasive Weeds.
[[Image:Illustration Galega officinalis0.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Galega officinalis - from Thomé <br /><small>''Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz'' 1885</small>]]
[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Invasive plant species]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]