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Pellitory

Anacyclus pyrethrum

Also calledAqarqarha / Āqar qarha (Unani) · Akarkara (Ayurveda)

In older monographsAnacyclus pyrethrum (L.) Link, Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) Lag.

A small daisy endemic to Morocco, Algeria and Spain whose pungent root, rich in the alkamide pellitorine, is known in Unani medicine as aqarqarha and in Ayurveda as akarkara. North African folk medicine uses it for toothache and to stimulate saliva; Unani medicine uses it as a general tonic and in oral-care formulas. Evidence is almost entirely from laboratory and animal studies, and the species is described as endangered.

What it is used for

Sexual function and libido
Limited
Aphrodisiac, androgenic and fertility-enhancing effects are reported only in animal studies; in cadmium-poisoned rats a root extract improved sperm function.^1,4
Memory and cognition
Limited
Anti-amnesic, anticonvulsant and antidepressant effects, and inhibition of enzymes linked to Alzheimer's disease, are reported in animal and laboratory studies only.^1,6
Toothache
Traditional
In North African traditional medicine the root is recommended for toothache, to promote salivation and for angina and tongue paralysis. A 2026 laboratory study explored it with myrrh for a children's dental topical anaesthetic gel; pellitorine was modelled to bind nerve sodium channels, but no clinical testing has been done.^1,2
Mouth ulcers and gum health
Traditional
Listed among Unani herbs for preventing and treating oro-dental disorders, alongside miswak and turmeric.³
General tonic
Traditional
In Unani medicine Āqar qarha is a 'general tonic' (Muqawwī-i-‘Ām) and an ingredient of compound formulas such as Tiryaq Wabā'ī.⁵

Safety

Pregnancy: Insufficient data
Breastfeeding: Insufficient data

Toxicity

Human safety has not been studied in clinical trials; existing work is in cells and animals. Its effects on sperm and hormones in animals mean it should not be assumed safe in pregnancy.

In the healing traditions

Unani
Aqarqarha
Root used as a general tonic and for oro-dental disorders; an ingredient of Tiryaq Wabā'ī and of the chest ointment Qairooti aarad-e-karsana (50 g root per batch).
CCRUM (1984), as cited by Khan et al. 2021
Ayurveda
Akarkara
A valued Ayurvedic root, regarded for antioxidant and antibacterial properties; roots are sold commercially in India as akarkara.
African traditional medicine
Anacyclus pyrethrum root (Moroccan folk use)
Roots recommended for excess or deficient salivation, tongue and limb paralysis, toothache, angina, female infertility, lethargy and digestive problems.

Active compounds

pellitorine: N-isobutyl decadienamide, the main alkamide, isolated in 1895 by Dunstan and Garnett
anacycline: isobutylamide alkamide

History

Unani physicians adopted the root as aqarqarha, using it in compound formulas such as Tiryaq Wabā'ī and in a chest ointment recorded by CCRUM (1984); Ayurveda knows it as akarkara. Its main constituent, pellitorine, was isolated in 1895 by Dunstan and Garnett.

Sources

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.