Syrian Rue is a traditional yet exquisite arid plant that was originally cultivated in the Eastern Mediterranean, Indian, and Middle Eastern regions. It is considered to be a seasonal succulent, as it thrives in hot, dry desert areas.
Further, the plant consists of feeble leaves that produce white flowers. In the months of mid-June to July, these flowers bloom to give rise to berries or fruits, which change their color to red over time. Therefore, it is these leaves and fruits which are used in many practices related to the field of religion and industry.
History of the Syrian Rue Seeds
The traditional day practices of the Syrian Rue seeds dates back to ancient Greek and Egyptian times. In Greece, Dioscorides, a Greek physician, and pharmacologist, greatly contributed to the vast and diverse field of botany.
In the book De Materia Medica, written by him, he describes a recipe for a concoction that involves the amalgamation of Syrian rue seeds, with honey, chicken gall, wine, fennel juice, and saffron. This, according to him, is a potion for improving weak eyesight and vision.
Further, the Syrian rue seed was prominently used during the Medieval Arabian times to treat patients suffering from epilepsy.
In addition to that, the Syrian rue seed was also extensively used in Egyptian culture. It was commonly called the plant of Bes wherein Bes was the Eqyptian deity who would fight off evil. Thus, the Syrian rue herb was used by many Egyptian people in the form of incense to keep away the evil eye from their families and households.
These ancient day practices have a great impact on today’s world, as many of them are still used in parts of Northern and Eastern Africa.
Modern Day Practices
In today’s fast-paced world, the Syrian rue seed holds a glorious place in terms of treating various ailments such as diabetes, depression, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Further, it is still believed that the Syrian rue seed contains some pain killer properties.
The usage of the Syrian rue seed is widely extended to the beauty and dermatology sector as well, to reduce hair fall, eczema, rash and itchy skin, etc. In fact, it is also used to induce sleep, in some parts of the world. Therefore, this one plant has a diverse history of its usage.
Preparation
In order to gain the effective properties of the Syrian rue seed, there are numerous techniques that have been developed for its consumption. People who are interested can chew on the raw seeds, however, they do contain a potent bitter taste, which may not be appealing.
Further, people can intake the seed in the form of powdered capsules, smoke, a cold water infusion, and alcohol, too. However, doctors and specialized herbalists should be contacted before the consumption of the botanical product. This is because the herb does have some side-effects such as hallucinations, antidepressant symptoms, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Depending on the lifestyle and physical body of the person, he/she could experience any of these reactions.
Therefore, after proper consultation and body examination, the herb should be consumed in limited amounts or as per the dosage prescribed by the doctor.