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Herba Pegani harmalae
dominate. Other major alkaloids are harmolol (harmol) and peganine.
Harmine is present in all parts of the plant. On isolation it forms colourless
crystals. The alkaloid (–)-peganine (vasicine) occurs in blossoms and
stems. The aerial parts contain 0.77%, leaves 0.3–0.4% and seeds contain
3.5–6% alkaloids (including 60% harmaline and 30% harmine) (22, 30,
34–39). Several other alkaloids (among them dipegine, dipeginol and tetrahydroharmine),
and four flavonoid glycosides (acacetin-7-O-rhamnoside,
acacetin-7-O-[6´´-O-glucosyl-2´´-O-(3´´´-acetylrhamnosyl)]glucoside,
acacetin-7-O-[2´´-O-rhamnosyl-2´´-O-glucosyl]glucoside and the
glycoflavone 2´´´-O-rhamnosyl-2´´-O-glucosylcytisoside) have been isolated
from the drug (40, 41). Also present are quinazoline alkaloids with a
similar structure: vasicinone, pegaline, tetrahydroharman and desoxyvasicinone
(17) together with saponins, tannins and organic acids (22). The
structures of some characteristic constituents are presented below.
X
I-Peganine
dl-Peganine
R = OH X = H 2
R = OH X = H 2
(-)-isomer
racemic
N
N
H
R
Desoxypeganine
I-Vasicinone
dl-Vasicinone
Desoxyvasicinone
R = H X = H 2
R = OH X = O
R = OH X = O
R = H X = O
(-)-isomer
racemic
peganine
N
O
N
CH 3
OH
OH
N
N
H 3
CO
H
N
CH 3
peganol harmaline harmine
N
H 3
CO
H
N
CH 3
N
Medicinal uses
Uses supported by clinical data
No information was found.
Uses described in pharmacopoeias and well established documents
Used in the treatment of different forms of myasthenia, myopathy and
atony of the bowels (35).
Uses described in traditional medicine
Used for treatment of epilepsy (42), as a central nervous system (CNS)-
stimulant, hypnotic and relaxant (43, 44). Also used as an anthelminthic,
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