Chemical study of Peganum harmala seeds

Abstract

Peganum harmala belongs to the family Zygophyllaceae and is popularly known as "Arruda of Syria". It presents a broad therapeutic potential, highlighting the anti inflammatory, anticancer, analgesic, antiseptic and antibacterial activities. It is used in the preparation of religious rituals beverages with effects on the central nervous system as an inhibitor of the enzyme monoaminoxidase, whose action is due to the presence of harmonic alkaloids of the β-carbolines group, with harmine and harmaline being the most found in P. harmala seeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical and pharmacognostic characteristics of P. harmala seeds with the aid of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Pharmacognostic characterization was performed following the 5th edition of the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. Scanning electron microscopy coupled to X-ray dispersive energy spectroscopy was performed for the seeds elemental identification. The compounds present in the species were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Phytochemical evaluation demonstrated the major secondary metabolites. The scanning electron microscopy coupled to X-ray dispersive energy spectroscopy analysis showed the morphology of the surface and interior of the seeds, as well as the atomic chemical analysis of the structures. By gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, the chemical profile of P. harmala seeds was identified and the β-carbolines (harmaline and harmine) were identified, which are compounds of great pharmacological importance for the species. Therefore, it is concluded that this study is of great contribution to the plant material standardization that will serve as the basis for the future development of a pharmaceutical product.

Comparative Evaluation of Chemical Carbon Acid Extract of the Ordinary Harmala (Peganum harmala) in Central Asia Region

“…1, with the peaks of the chemical composition of CO 2 extract of harmala (Peganum harmala), 20 compounds were identified and most of the harmala seed compounds (Table 3) belong to Stigmasterol the time of 38.8 min and as presented in Table 3 and 4, which detected chemical components are listed base on time and percentage. Stigmasterol was in concentration of 1.4% and this variety was somewhat less than the report of Amariz et al 18 with gas chromatography method. The gas chromatogram shows the high currency of analyzed data in Table 3 and 4, based on findings of Amariz et al 18 and Moussa and Almaghrabi 3 , gas chromatography is useful and accurate method for detection of fatty acids of harmala plant extract.…”

“…Stigmasterol was in concentration of 1.4% and this variety was somewhat less than the report of Amariz et al 18 with gas chromatography method. The gas chromatogram shows the high currency of analyzed data in Table 3 and 4, based on findings of Amariz et al 18 and Moussa and Almaghrabi 3 , gas chromatography is useful and accurate method for detection of fatty acids of harmala plant extract.…”

“…Peganum harmala used in the preparation of drinks for religious rituals with an effect on the central nervous system as an inhibitor of the enzyme monoamine oxidase, the action of which is due to the presence of harmonic-alkaloids of the $-carboline group and harmaline and harmine are often found in the seeds of P. harmala 18 .…”