Akarkara (aka. Spanish Chamomile; Anacyclus pyrethrum) is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial with finely divided, fern‑like leaves and daisy‑like flowers. It grows from a thick, woody, pungent taproot that is the primary medicinal part and gives a sharp, tingling, sialagogue effect when chewed.
The roots are traded as a pungent spice or adjunct in some regional cuisines and formulations, used in very small amounts to add heat and tingling somewhat analogous to Sichuan pepper or spilanthes.
The plant is also noted as a natural insecticide and pesticide source due to its pyrethrin‑like constituents and alkylamides, used in protecting stored products and in traditional household pest control.
➡️ In Ayurveda, Unani, and Maghrebi traditional medicine systems, the root is used as a powerful sialagogue and stimulant for toothache, cough, gingivitis, stomatitis, facial palsy, and paralysis of the tongue and limbs, often chewed fresh or applied as a paste or snuff to increase salivary flow and circulation to the head.
➡️ It is also used as an aphrodisiac and “nervine tonic” to enhance libido, fertility, and male sexual performance, as well as for rheumatism, sciatica, neuralgia, colic, and general debility.
Through scientific investigation Akarkara has been found to exhibit aphrodisiac, immunostimulant, antidepressant, anxiolytic, antinociceptive/analgesic, anti‑inflammatory, anesthetic, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antidiabetic, memory‑enhancing, and anticholinesterase activities.
One study evaluated the chemical composition and biological activities of different Akarkara parts and found that capitula extracts were particularly rich in phenolics and showed strong analgesic, anti‑inflammatory, and wound‑healing activity in animal models, supporting broader tissue‑healing and pain‑relief claims.