Harmala ordinary (harmala zvichayna) Peganum harmala L.
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Synonyms: graveyard, grave grass, wild rue, black rue, mountain rue (Ukrainian: wild rue, bilobik, skunk, dog’s rib, dog’s potion, harman).
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Description. Perennial herbaceous naked plant from the parnolistnikovye family (Zygophvllaceae) 3070 cm high. The stem is strongly branched, green. The leaves are alternate, three-five-parted, short-petiolate, sessile, with sharp linear lobes. The flowers are large, solitary, yellow, placed at the ends of the branches. The fruit is a spherical triangular capsule. Seeds brown triangular. Weight of 1000 seeds within 3 g. Blossoms in May July, fruits ripen in July August.
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Medicinal raw materials: seeds, grass, less often roots.
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Habitat . It grows near settlements, in weedy places, on dry, solonetsous, stony slopes.
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Spreading. It grows in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Volga region, in the south of the European part of the USSR.
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Composition of active substances . All parts of the common harmala contain alkaloids (harmaline, harmalol, harmine, peganine); fatty oil and red dye are obtained from the seeds.
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Application. In medicine, harmine is mainly used in the treatment of consequences of epidemic encephalitis, parkinsonism (trembling paralysis), and also in diseases of the central nervous system. Currently, harmine hydrochloride is used for this purpose (orally or subcutaneously). Peganin is used in the treatment of smooth muscles of the intestines and uterus (acts as a tonic and diuretic).
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In folk medicine, infusions and decoctions of harmala are used to treat malaria, as well as colds. Harmala baths are taken in the treatment of scabies and rheumatism.
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Collection. Seeds are harvested during their maturation (in July-August): the plant is mowed with scythes or cut with sickles and knitted into sheaves. After drying, the harmala is threshed, and the seeds are cleaned on seeders. Grass is harvested during flowering (June-July). Cut with sickles higher so that there are no rough lower parts of the stems.
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Drying. The cut aerial part of the plant is dried under a canopy or under an iron roof with good ventilation.
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Pack. Packed in bags of 25 kg.
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Storage. Harmala grass is stored packed in a dry,
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in a well-ventilated area, on racks or pedestals.