Peganum harmala
Esfand
Peganum harmala, commonly known as Syrian Rue, is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean and Middle East. Renowned for its potent alkaloids, particularly harmine and harmaline, it has been utilized in traditional medicine for centuries. Today, it is studied extensively for its psychoactive, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.
- Scientific name: Peganum harmala
- Family: Nitrariaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales, it is further categorized into the family Nitrariaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Peganum, specifically known as Peganum harmala.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Nitrariaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Peganum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Peganum harmala, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Poland, it is called poganek rutowy, while in Turkey, it is commonly referred to as üzerlik. In Russian, it is known as Гармала обыкновенная, and in Catalan, it is simply called harmala. Furthermore, in Tajik (using the Latin script), it is identified as Ispand.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | poganek rutowaty | Wikidata |
| tg-latn | Ispand | Wikidata |
| ru | Гармала обыкновенная | Wikidata |
| tr | Üzerlik | Wikidata |
| ca | harmala | Wikidata |
| hu | szíriai rutafű | Wikidata |
| fi | pilviharmikki | Wikidata |
| de | Steppenraute | Wikidata |
| fa | اسپند | Wikidata |
| mzn | اسپند | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several European regions. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing in Hungary. Its presence extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the Baleares islands. Additionally, the species is located within the territories of France and Sardegna. Finally, it is also widely distributed throughout Spain.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Sardegna | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Bulgaria | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Romania | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Türkiye-in-Europe | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Peganum harmala, is a versatile medicinal herb where various components are utilized for their pharmacological properties. The most potent part is often considered to be the tiny, dark seeds, which contain high concentrations of harmala alkaloids. These seed units are contained within a distinctive, capsule-like fruit that develops as the plant matures. Beneath the surface, the roots can also be harvested for medicinal purposes, while the upright stems provide the structural support necessary to hold the flowers and developing fruit aloft.- Total parts
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 31
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 14 | ★★★★★ |
| roots | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| seed | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| shoots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds/leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Peganum harmala has 75 reported phytochemicals identified across 138 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include harmine, harmaline, harmalol, Harmaline, harmane.
- Total chemicals
- 75
- Scientific sources
- 138
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| harmine | 20 | ★★★★★ |
| harmaline | 16 | ★★★★★ |
| harmalol | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Harmaline | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| harmane | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| harmol | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| peganine | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| vasicine | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Harmine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Peganum harmala has 43 reported activities identified across 82 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antifungal.
- Total activities
- 43
- Scientific sources
- 82
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Antioxidant | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Anticancer | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Psychoactive | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Peganum harmala has 76 reported medicinal uses identified across 95 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, Staphylococcus aureus, oxidative stress, Alzheimer's disease, Candida albicans.
- Total uses
- 76
- Scientific sources
- 95
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida albicans | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| E. coli | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leishmania | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| asthma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |