Місвак

The plant

Salvadora persica is a small evergreen tree. It is native from the Middle East and North Africa to India. It is a small tree or shrub with a crooked trunk, typically 6-7 metres in height. The tree produces small red fruit, edible and juicy but pungent. The type specimen was collected in Persia, giving the species name persica.

Chemistry

Benzyl isothiocyanate is the chief constituent of essential oils from the fresh and dried roots of Salvadora persica. It makes up 85.8% of the oil of fresh roots and 68.1% of the oil of dried roots. Benzyl nitrile accounts for 13.4% and 26.0%, and benzaldehyde for 0.5% and 4.7%, respectively. Benzyl isothiocyanate is an isothiocyanate found in plants of the mustard family. Salvadorine and benzylisothiocyanate appear to be responsible for the antibacterial activity of miswak. The plant also contains insoluble fluoride in high concentration, calcium, salicylic acid, and some antioxidants of unclear function.

Use and history

The Salvadora persica stick, widely known as miswak, is used for teeth cleaning throughout the Arabian Peninsula, Iranian Plateau, and wider Muslim world. Toothbrushes made from roots and small branches of about 3-5 mm diameter have been used for over 1000 years, especially by Islamic populations in India, Arabia and Africa. The use of miswak is a pre-Islamic custom, which was adhered to by the ancient Arabs to get their teeth white and shiny. In use, the outer bark is cut or peeled away, revealing inner fibers that act as bristles. The fresh leaves can be eaten as part of a salad and are used in traditional medicine. The wood can be used for charcoal and firewood. The seeds can be used to extract a detergent oil. Extracts containing its active components have been added to mouthwash and toothpaste.

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