Scientific name: Salvadora persica L.
Family: Salvadoraceae
Quranic Name: Khamt
Arabic Name: Shajar-e-Miswak, Al-arak, Khardal
English name: Tooth brush tree, Mustard tree
Tibb name(s): Pilun, Jhal
Habit and Habitat: Shrub or small tree found in rocky slopes and sandy area.
Parts used: Whole plant.
Flowering period: March-June.
Folk medicinal uses: Useful in rheumatism and scurvy,
antidote to poison. Useful in
biliousness, asthma and cough,
poultice for tumour and pile. Fruit
edible, carminative, diuretic and
deobstruent.
References from Qur’an:
*Sura Saba, Verse. # 16: But they turned away (from the obedience of Allah), so we sent against them Sail Al-‘Arim (flood released from the dam) and we converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter bad fruit and tamarisks and some few lote-trees.
References from Ahadith:
* Hazrat Jabbir Bin Abdullah (Radiyallah Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said, “The black coloured Kapas (fruit of Salvadora) is the best (finest) one”
*Hazrat Aaisha (Radiyallah Anha) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Miswak purifies the mouth and is a cause of Allah’s pleasure”
*Hazrat Abu-Hizat-us-Sabahi (Radiyallah Anhus) gave him a twig of Salvadora (Al-Arak) and said, “Use it as miswak”
*Hazrat Abu Zaidul-Ghafqi (Radiyallah Anhus) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Miswak is of three types. If Salvadora is not available then (use) Anum and Batum.
Distribution in world:
Pakistan, India and Arabia.
Flowering periods:
March-June.
chemical constituents:
Root and twigs contain alkaloid trimethyl amine, inorganic salts. Resin and tannin. They contain salvadorine, chlorides, fluorides in large amount, silica, sulphur, Vit. C and small quantities of tannins, saponins, flavenoids and sterol.


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