Harmol (Harmala Beta-Carboline · MAO-A / Antioxidant)

Compound	Harmol (7-Hydroxy-1-methyl-beta-carboline; demethyl-harmine)
Chemical class	Alkaloid — Beta-carboline (fully aromatic, 7-hydroxy harmala indole alkaloid)
CAS	487-03-6
Primary source	Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) seeds and roots (root-enriched)
Key applications	MAO-A inhibition; antioxidant; muscle relaxant; research context
Claim strength	Emerging
Typical form	Harmal (Peganum harmala) seed/root extract — harmol prominent in roots (~1.4%)
Buy from Herbuno	Harmal Seed Extract Powder - Peganum harmala → Harmal Oil Soluble Extract - Peganum harmala →

Name origin: Harmol is the hydroxy analogue of harmine, the "-ol" marking the 7-hydroxyl that replaces harmine's 7-methoxy group; it is a fully aromatic beta-carboline and is also the principal O-demethylation metabolite of harmine in mammals, giving it a dual identity as both a native constituent and a metabolic product. Traditional use: As a constituent of Peganum harmala (Syrian rue, harmal, Isband), harmol belongs to the beta-carboline complex underlying the seed's and root's long use in Unani, Persian, and Central Asian tradition as incense, as the source of a historic red dye, and as a remedy; harmol is notably concentrated in the roots, which shifts the alkaloid balance of root-derived material toward harmol and harmine. Research trajectory: Harmol was identified and quantified among the five main beta-carbolines of Peganum harmala, with roots containing it at around 1.4% by weight, in analytical work mapping the plant's MAO-inhibitory profile and establishing seed extracts as potent reversible competitive MAO-A inhibitors Herraiz 2010; a Peganum bioactivity review records harmol's MAO-A-inhibitory and antioxidant contributions and notes preclinical muscle-relaxant and antiproliferative interest Nadeem 2021. Commercial source: Harmol is delivered within Harmal Seed Extract Powder (Peganum harmala) from Herbuno, alongside harmine, harmaline, harmalol, and tetrahydroharmine, with an oil-soluble format also available.

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Evidence for Harmol Applications

MAO-A inhibition: Harmol is among the Peganum harmala beta-carbolines contributing to monoamine-oxidase-A inhibition; in the seed the effect is dominated by harmine and harmaline, while harmol is quantified as a major root alkaloid, and it is listed among the constituents with important MAO-A-inhibitory activity in the reviewed literature Herraiz 2010Nadeem 2021. Claim strength: Emerging.

Harmine metabolite: Harmol is the principal O-demethylation metabolite of harmine in mammals, so it is pharmacologically relevant to the downstream fate of harmine-containing preparations as well as being a native plant constituent; this dual role means harmol exposure arises both directly from the plant and indirectly from harmine metabolism. Claim strength: Emerging.

Antioxidant activity: The beta-carboline core gives harmol radical-scavenging activity, contributing to the antioxidant capacity of Peganum alkaloid preparations documented in the review literature Nadeem 2021. Claim strength: Emerging.

Muscle-relaxant and preclinical antiproliferative interest: Harmol has been studied for muscle-relaxant activity and, in preclinical cancer-cell models, for antiproliferative effects; these are early-stage findings reported within Peganum bioactivity reviews and do not constitute clinical evidence Nadeem 2021. Claim strength: Emerging.

Root enrichment and sourcing implication: Because harmol reaches around 1.4% in the roots while being a minor seed constituent, the choice of plant part materially changes the alkaloid profile of Harmal material, which is a practical point for formulators specifying a particular beta-carboline distribution. Claim strength: Emerging.

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Dosage & Formulator Specification

No isolated harmol human dosing data exist, and it is not offered or studied as a standalone dose. In Peganum harmala, harmol is a minor seed alkaloid but a major root constituent (around 1.4% of root weight), so it is delivered as a co-alkaloid within Harmal extract rather than as a standardised single ingredient; total beta-carboline content by HPLC is the practical specification, and root-derived material shifts the profile toward harmol and harmine.

As with all Harmal-derived material, the governing consideration is the class-level MAO-A inhibition of the harmala beta-carbolines, which carries interaction cautions with tyramine-rich foods and serotonergic drugs. Responsible labelling of any harmol-containing Harmal ingredient must reflect this whole-extract safety framework, and harmol's additional identity as a harmine metabolite reinforces that the relevant pharmacology is that of the beta-carboline group as a whole.

Harmal Seed Extract Powder and Harmal Oil Soluble Extract both provide harmol within the full beta-carboline spectrum, the oil-soluble grade suiting lipid-phase applications such as softgels. Standardisation to total beta-carbolines is the appropriate commercial specification, and where a harmol-enriched profile is required, root-inclusive material and batch-level HPLC assay are the practical levers, given natural lot-to-lot variability.

The seed-versus-root distinction is the practical heart of harmol sourcing. Seed-based Harmal material is dominated by harmine and harmaline with harmol as a minor component, whereas root-inclusive material carries substantially more harmol and shifts the overall beta-carboline balance. A formulator who specifically wants a harmol-weighted profile must therefore specify plant part and confirm it by assay, since two Harmal extracts of nominally the same species can differ markedly in their harmol content depending on this single sourcing choice. This is a concrete illustration of why total-beta-carboline HPLC profiling, not a single assumed composition, is the correct specification basis.

For the formulator, harmol is best positioned as a characterising constituent of a Harmal beta-carboline ingredient — particularly relevant where root material is used — with marketing reflecting the preclinical status of its individual evidence and relying on the established whole-extract handling and safety profile.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Harmol

What is harmol?
Harmol is a fully aromatic beta-carboline alkaloid of Peganum harmala, the 7-hydroxy (demethoxy) analogue of harmine and also a mammalian metabolite of it. It is one of the plant's five principal beta-carbolines and is notably enriched in the roots.

How does harmol relate to harmine?
Harmol is harmine with the 7-methoxy group replaced by a hydroxyl. It is both a natural constituent of Peganum harmala and the principal O-demethylation metabolite of harmine in mammals, so it is relevant to the downstream pharmacology of harmine-containing preparations as well as being a native alkaloid.

Which Herbuno product contains harmol?
Harmal Seed Extract Powder (Peganum harmala) delivers harmol within its beta-carboline spectrum; the roots of the plant are particularly rich in harmol. Harmal Oil Soluble Extract is a lipid-phase alternative for oil-dispersible formulations.

What is known about harmol's activity?
Harmol contributes to the MAO-A-inhibitory and antioxidant profile of Peganum harmala and has been studied for muscle-relaxant activity and, in preclinical models, for antiproliferative effects. Its data are preclinical and are best understood within the harmala alkaloid complex rather than as isolated-compound findings.

Related compounds: Harmine, Harmaline, Harmalol, Tetrahydroharmine

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Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.

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