Quantitative and qualitative determination of the leaf and seed alcoholic extract of Peganum harmala and the evaluation of antioxidant properties of the extract

Harmal or Spand is one of the medicinal plants with the scientific name of peganum harmala and belongs to the Zygophylaceae family. Beta-carboline belongs to the group of indole alkaloids and is present in different parts of the plant, especially seeds and roots. Beta-carbolines exert a range of neurophysiological and toxic effects, including antidepressant activity, vasodilation, anti-cumulative effects of platelets, and effects on drug withdrawal and appetite. The aim of this study was to extract and measure beta-carbolines as well as phenolic compounds of Pecan plant species and to investigate its antioxidant properties.

For this purpose, this plant was collected from around Zahedan and methanolic extract of leaves and seeds were extracted by Soxhlet method. Then different phytochemical analyzes were performed on the leaves and seeds of this plant. Quantitative and qualitative analyzes included identification of anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones, antioxidant test of the extract, FTIR analysis of the extract, quantitative and qualitative HPLC analysis of the extract and alkaloids.

The results showed that Harmine was toxic at a much lower dose than the seed extract, and the seed extract can be toxic in low doses than leaf extract. In the leaf extract, compared to the seed extract, the amounts of alkaloids are small, and its antioxidant effects are greater due to the higher amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids.

The results showed that although the antioxidant properties of methanolic extract of leaves (due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds) are higher than seeds, but there is more beta-carboline in plant seeds.