Jahiruddin .
Research Scholar, Department of Pharmacology, Jaipur College of Pharmacy, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Rakesh Sharma
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Jaipur College of Pharmacy, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Surbhi Jangir
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Jaipur College of Pharmacy, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Abstract
Peganum harmal, commonly called wild rue, Syrian rue, African rue, esfand or spand, or harmel. It is a perennial, herbaceous plant, with a woody underground root-stock, of the family Nitrariaceae, usually growing in saline soils in temperate desert and Mediterranean regions. It has become an invasive species in some regions of the western United States. The plant is popular in Middle Eastern and North African folk medicine. Harmala demonstrated numerous medicinal effects including cardiovascular, neurologic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antineoplasmic, antiproliferative, gastrointestinal and antidiabetic effects. Phytochemical investigations have indicated the existence of a number of active alkaloids in P. harmala, especially beta-carbolines such as harmalol, harmaline, and harmine. Harmala demonstrated numerous medicinal effects including cardiovascular, neurologic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antineoplasmic, antiproliferative, gastrointestinal and antidiabetic effects.
Keywords: Peganum harmal, Mediterranean regions, invasive species, phytochemical investigation