Witnessed by: TCM · Western · Unani

Syrian rue (Peganum harmala), of the Nitrariaceae (formerly Zygophyllaceae) family. Bushy glabrous perennial herb of dry ground, with fleshy divided leaves and white flowers; native range: Arid steppe and desert from the Mediterranean and North Africa through the Middle East and Central Asia to north-west India; widely naturalised. Globally recognized as luo tuo peng (骆驼蓬, the seed luo tuo peng zi) in Chinese, harmal (حرمل) in Arabic, and harmal, wild rue, esfand / isband in English. The part used is seed (and whole herb). A low, many-branched herb bearing round capsules packed with angular red-brown seeds; the seeds bitter and acrid, staining a deep red dye and giving off a heavy, narcotic, incense-like smoke when burned.

In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.

SYRIAN RUE

IDENTITY

Name

Common: Syrian rue
Scientific name: Peganum harmala L.
Family: Nitrariaceae (formerly Zygophyllaceae)

Form

Part used: seed (and whole herb)

PROPERTIES

Nature

Taste

how the plant declares itself on the tongue

TCM: bitter · pungent
Western: bitter · acrid · pungent
Unani: bitter · pungent · acrid

Temperature

TCM: warm (with toxicity)

Western: hot

Unani: hot & dry (3rd degree)

convergence: all {witness_count} witnesses read a hot, acrid, driving drug — potent and not lightly given

Affinity

where in the body it travels

Organs / channels

TCM: Lung · Liver
Western: nerves · uterus · lungs
Unani: uterus · nerves · brain · lungs

PRACTICE

Virtue

Actions

TCM: dispels wind-damp, relieves cough and calms wheeze, resolves toxic swelling and kills parasites
Western: antispasmodic, emmenagogue, anthelmintic and narcotic — a monoamine-oxidase-inhibiting nervine, sedative in small dose and intoxicant in large
Unani: muharrik (stimulant), mudir-e-haiz (emmenagogue), daf-e-tashannuj (antispasmodic), qatil-e-deedan (anthelmintic); the smoke a fumigant (dhuni) to purify the air

Cautions

Contraindications: pregnancy and lactation (an abortifacient); use with monoamine-oxidase-inhibiting drugs, antidepressants or tyramine-rich foods; hepatic or renal impairment

Toxicity: the seed carries the β-carboline alkaloids harmine, harmaline and harmalol; overdose brings nausea and vomiting, tremor, hallucination, slowed heart and neurotoxicity, and can be fatal

Interactions

Western: MAO inhibitors: harmala alkaloids are themselves potent reversible MAO-A inhibitors — combined with other MAOIs, SSRIs or tyramine-rich foods they risk serotonin syndrome and hypertensive crisis · sedatives / CNS depressants: additive central nervous-system depression and potentiated sedation

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