Description

Peganum harmala, Syrian rue or wild rue, is a bushy, multi-branched perennial herb of the family Nitrariaceae, native to the arid steppes, desert margins, and stony semi-desert soils of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the northwestern Indian subcontinent from Iran through Afghanistan to Pakistan and Rajasthan. The small, brown, triangular seeds are rich in beta-carboline alkaloids — primarily harmine and harmaline — which serve as reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors and have attracted significant pharmacological research interest. In Unani pharmacopoeia, the seeds are documented as Harmal and employed in formulations for neurological and reproductive conditions under strict protocols. The plant also holds cultural significance as a fumigation and ritual plant across Persian, Turkish, and Central Asian folk traditions.