Peganum harmala, better known as Syrian Rue, is a herbaceous plant originally found in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. The seeds are particularly rich in harmala alkaloids, including harmine and harmaline — the same MAO-inhibiting compounds found in Banisteriopsis caapi. The plant has been used for thousands of years in traditional cultures.
Peganum harmala, also known as Syrian Rue or harmal, is a hardy herbaceous plant from the Middle East and Central Asia. The seeds are particularly rich in harmala alkaloids — notably harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine — which act as reversible MAO-A inhibitors. The plant has been used ceremonially for over 3,000 years.
Both Peganum harmala and Banisteriopsis caapi contain harmine and harmaline as their primary MAO-inhibiting alkaloids. However, Syrian Rue typically has a higher harmaline-to-harmine ratio. Botanically they are entirely different plants: P. harmala (Nitrariaceae) versus the Amazonian vine B. caapi (Malpighiaceae).
