FAMILY — ZYGOPHYLLACEAE
From this family, only Harmala has medical significance.
A perennial herbaceous plant with a long root and a low above-ground stem, strongly branched with leaves divided into linear lobes and white flowers. The fruit is a spherical capsule with numerous seeds (illustration). It grows in steppes, semi-deserts, and sandy areas in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Crimea, and the southern part of the European region.
The roots and seeds contain alkaloids: the seeds have 3–4% total alkaloids, including up to 30% of the main alkaloid — harmine; the roots contain fewer alkaloids, but nearly pure harmine is present. In the herb, about 2% of total alkaloids is found, with a predominance of peganine; there is little harmine. Additionally, vasicine, desoxypeganine, and desoxyvasicinone are present. In the herb collected in early spring, a new alkaloid, pegamine, was discovered in trace amounts.
It is reported that harmine hydrochloride alleviates the condition of patients with Parkinsonism. The second valuable alkaloid is peganine, which, according to studies, increases motor activity and, with prolonged use, has a mild laxative effect.