Contents:
Common Names | Parts Usually Used | Plant(s) & Culture | Where Found | Medicinal Properties | Biochemical Information
Legends, Myths and Stories | Uses | Formulas or Dosages | Nutrient Content | How Sold | Warning | Resource Links
Scientific Names
- Peganum harmala L.
Common Names
- Wild Rue
- Syrian Rue
- African Rue
- Harmel
- Esfand or Espand
- Turkish Rue
- Mexican Rue
Parts Usually Used
The seeds, fruits, root, bark, and leaves. Seeds are most commonly used medicinally and contain the highest concentration of active alkaloids.
Back to Top
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Wild rue is a perennial, herbaceous plant of the family Nitrariaceae, with a woody underground rootstock. It grows to about 0.8 meters (3 feet) tall, but normally reaches about 0.3 meters (1 foot) in height. The entire plant is hairless (glabrous) and has a strong, unpleasant smell when crushed. It has deep roots that can reach up to 6.1 meters (20 feet) deep in very dry soil, and numerous erect to spreading stems that branch in a corymbose fashion. The leaves are alternate, sessile, and finely divided into thin, linear lobes. It produces small white or yellowish-white flowers, 2-3 cm in diameter, that bloom between March and October depending on the region. The fruit is a dry, round seed capsule containing more than 50 small, dark brown to blackish-brown triangular seeds.
Back to Top
Where Found
Wild rue is native to a vast region spanning North Africa, southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South and East Asia. It naturally occurs from Morocco to Mongolia, and from Spain to northern China. The plant has been introduced to countries like South Africa, Mexico, France, and parts of the southwestern United States. It thrives in dry, often saline or disturbed habitats, growing from sea level to high elevations up to 3,600 meters. It is commonly found in steppes, desert areas, abandoned fields, roadsides, and semi-arid regions with well-draining, often alkaline soils.
Back to Top
Medicinal Properties
Wild rue possesses extensive medicinal properties due to its rich content of β-carboline alkaloids, particularly harmine, harmaline, and harmalol. The plant demonstrates antispasmodic, hypnotic, antiperiodic, emetic, alterative, anthelmintic, narcotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, anticancer, antioxidant, cardiovascular, and neuroprotective activities.
The seeds have significant antitumor activity with high cell toxicity against various cancer cell lines. The plant shows strong antimicrobial effects against drug-resistant bacteria, fungi, and parasites. It exhibits cardiovascular benefits including vasorelaxant, antihypertensive, and antiplatelet effects. The alkaloids act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, providing antidepressant and neuroprotective effects. Wild rue also demonstrates antidiabetic, osteogenic, immunomodulatory, and gastrointestinal antispasmodic properties.
Back to Top
Biochemical Information
The primary active compounds in wild rue are β-carboline alkaloids, which include:
- Harmine (banisterine) – the most abundant and studied alkaloid
- Harmaline (harmidine) – major psychoactive component
- Harmalol – cardiovascular and neuroprotective effects
- Harmane – analgesic and cardiovascular properties
- Norharmine – enzyme inhibition properties
Additional compounds include quinazoline alkaloids (vasicine/peganine, vasicinone), sterols (β-sitosterol, lanosterol), flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin), and various other bioactive molecules. Seeds contain at least 5.9% β-carboline alkaloids by weight.
Back to Top
Legends, Myths and Stories
Wild rue has been associated with the sacred plant called soma or haoma mentioned in ancient Indo-Iranian texts, with archaeological evidence suggesting its ritual use dating back to at least the 2nd century BCE. Recent research has provided the earliest known chemical evidence of its use in fumigation practices in Arabia nearly 2,700 years ago.
The plant holds significant cultural importance across many regions. In Persian, Turkish, and Arabic cultures, dried capsules are strung and hung in homes or vehicles for protection against the evil eye. It is widely used for protection against djinn in Morocco and is burned in Kashmiri Brahmin weddings to create an auspicious atmosphere. The plant was first described by Dioscorides in ancient times under the name péganon agrion and has been known by various names throughout history.
Back to Top
Uses
Wild rue has been used traditionally for numerous medicinal and cultural purposes across different civilizations. The powdered seeds are used as an anthelmintic agent, and decoctions of seeds and leaves are given for laryngitis and rheumatism respectively.
Traditional medicinal applications include:
- Treatment of depression and nervous system disorders
- Pain relief and anti-inflammatory therapy
- Antimicrobial treatment for resistant infections
- Antiparasitic therapy for malaria, leishmaniasis, and worm infections
- Cancer treatment and tumor inhibition
- Cardiovascular support and blood pressure regulation
- Digestive disorders and gastrointestinal spasms
- Diabetes management and blood sugar control
- Bone health and osteogenic support
- Immune system modulation
- Emmenagogue and reproductive health (historically used as abortifacient)
- Respiratory conditions including asthma
Cultural and other uses include:
- Fumigation and incense for spiritual purification
- Protection against evil eye and negative energies
- Natural dye production (Turkey red dye from seeds)
- Ink and tattoo preparation from stems, roots, and seeds
- Entheogenic use in spiritual practices (contains MAO inhibitors)
- Traditional food preparation (seeds used in bread baking)
Formulas or Dosages
Dosages vary significantly depending on the intended use and preparation method. Traditional preparations include:
For anthelmintic use: Powdered seeds in small doses (specific dosage should be determined by healthcare provider)
For cardiovascular effects: Studies have used methanolic extracts at various concentrations, typically 5mg/kg body weight for animal studies
For antiprotozoal effects: Doses of 100mg/kg body weight of peganine have shown effectiveness in animal studies
For bone health: Harmine at 10mg/kg/day has demonstrated osteogenic effects in animal studies
Note: Due to the plant’s toxicity and psychoactive properties, precise dosing should only be determined by qualified healthcare practitioners. Self-medication is strongly discouraged.
Back to Top
Nutrient Content
Wild rue is not typically consumed as a nutritional source due to its medicinal and toxic properties. The plant’s value lies primarily in its alkaloid content rather than nutritional components. The seeds contain:
- β-carboline alkaloids: minimum 5.9% by weight
- Harmaline: up to 56.0 mg/g in seeds
- Various quinazoline alkaloids
- Sterols and flavonoids
- Essential oils and other bioactive compounds
How Sold
Wild rue availability varies significantly by country due to legal restrictions. Where legal, it may be found as:
- Dried seeds and plant material in traditional medicine shops
- Powdered seed preparations
- Extracted alkaloids (where legally permitted)
- Traditional incense and fumigation preparations
- Dye-making supplies
- Research chemicals for laboratory use
In many countries, including the United States (several states), France, Finland, Canada, and Australia, the plant and/or its alkaloids are regulated or banned due to psychoactive properties and potential toxicity.
Back to Top
Warning
Wild rue carries significant safety concerns and legal restrictions that must be carefully considered:
Toxicity: All parts of the plant are potentially toxic. High doses can cause paralysis, liver degeneration, spongiform changes in the central nervous system, euphoria, convulsions, digestive problems (nausea, vomiting), hypothermia, bradycardia, visual hallucinations, and psychomotor agitation. The plant has mutagenic properties due to DNA intercalation by its alkaloids.
Pregnancy and Reproductive Health: Wild rue is a known abortifacient and can cause reduced fertility and spontaneous abortions in animals. It should never be used during pregnancy or by women trying to conceive. It has teratogenic effects and can cause birth defects.
Drug Interactions: The plant significantly affects cytochrome P450 enzyme expression, potentially altering the metabolism of many medications. It should not be combined with other medications without medical supervision.
MAO Inhibitor Effects: The plant’s monoamine oxidase inhibiting properties can cause dangerous interactions with certain foods and medications, potentially leading to hypertensive crises.
Legal Status: Possession and use are illegal or restricted in many countries and states. Check local laws before acquiring or using.
Livestock Poisoning: The plant is toxic to animals and frequently causes livestock poisoning, especially during droughts when other forage is scarce.
Due to these serious risks, wild rue should only be used under the supervision of qualified healthcare practitioners experienced with its properties and potential dangers.
Back to Top
Resource Links
Ancient Arabia Used Psychoactive Harmal Plant in Iron Age
Academic Journals – Chemistry, pharmacology and medicinal properties of Peganum harmala L.
