Wild Rue

BOTANICAL NAME:

• Peganum harmala

FAMILY:

• Rutacaea

SYNONYM(S):

• Nill

URDU NAME:

• Isphand

REGIONAL NAME:

• Bengali: Isband
• Persian: Isband, Ispand
• Hindi: Ispand Lahouni
• Pashto: Spailanai, Aspalnay
• Sindhi: Hurmul
• Arabic: Harmal
• Punjabi: Hurmul, Ispand Lahouni

UNANI/TIBBI NAME:

• Harmal

ENGLISH NAME:

• Syrian Rue, Wild Rue

HABITAT:

• It is wild spread in the desert areas of Sindh, Hyderabad. Also widely distributed throughout Baluchistan, Kurnam Valley, Chitral, Gilgat Swat and Punjab

DESCRIPTION:

• A bushy herb 30-90 Cm in height
• Leaves are rounded
• Flowers white fragrant
• Seeds are like rye, triangular, concavo convex and of dull earthy brown colour give a heavy narcotic odour when crushed

PART USED:

• Seeds

TASTE:

• Bitter

TEMPERAMENT:

• Hot 3°, dry 2°

PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE:

• Flowers mostly in April and may. Fruits from July to October

PROCEDURE & TIME OF COLLECTION:

• Almost dry capsules are collected. Seeds are shade dried and stoned

CONSTITUENTS:

• Turpentine
• Alkaloids
• Glycosides
• Resins
• Fixed oils
• Harmine
• Harmaline
• Harmalol
• Peganine
• Calcium
• Copper
• Potassium
• Iron
• Phosphate
• Sulphate
• Thiamine

SUBSTITUTES:

• Seeds of sudab/Rue (ruta gnaveolens)
• Ajwain/alowa seeds (canum copticum )
• Muli/radish (raphanus sativus)

ACTIONS AND USES IN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE:

Pharmacological action:

• Purgative
• Anthelmintic
• Alternative
• Lactagogue
• Emmenagogue
• Aphrodisiac
• Carminative
• Diuretic
• Blood purifier

Therapeutic uses:

• Remedy for tapeworm
• Fever
• Asthma
• Rheumatism
• Neuralgia
• Sciatica
• Sexual debility

DOSES:

• 5-9 g

CORRECTIVES:

• Shikanjabin/vinegar sweet drink
• Rubb-e-seb (jam of pynus malus)
• Citrus fruits

IMPORTANT UNANI FORMULATIONS:

• Zimad-e- kibreet
• Majoon-e- ispand sokhtani
• Majoon-e-reg mahi

ASTROLOGY:

• Mars