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Ajmod अजमोद
Apium leptophyllum
Part used: Seed, Seed (Sd.)
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Apium leptophyllum
- Part used: Seed, Seed (Sd.)
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Seed powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with warm water; often taken with rock salt for colic.
Ajmod in other languages
Introduction
Ajmod (Apium leptophyllum) is the Indian celery seed — a small, ridged, sharply aromatic fruit used as both spice and medicine. It is close kin to Ajwain and the two are often confused in trade.
Ayurveda uses it as a Deepana and Anulomana drug: it kindles digestion and moves wind downward, and is given for colic, distension and griping pain.
Classification
Family Apiaceae. The dried fruit, commonly called seed, is officinal. Rasa: Katu, Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata.
Uses & benefits
Given in abdominal distension, colic and griping pain, in poor appetite and in Vata disorders where wind is trapped. Its Anulomana action makes it useful where the bowel is sluggish without being constipated. It appears in Chitrakadi Vati and the digestive compounds of this catalogue.
Ajmod for wind and colic
The classical Anulomana indication: it moves trapped wind downward rather than merely suppressing the discomfort, which is why it suits distension with cramping.
Ajmod for appetite
A sharp Deepana drug taken before food where appetite has failed and the tongue is coated.
Dosage — how much to take
Seed powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with warm water; often taken with rock salt for colic.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Ajmod?
The citations held for Ajmod in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Haritakyadi Varga — Ajamoda).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Ajmod?
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; deepana and shulahara. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Ajamoda.
What is Ajmod traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in abdominal distension, colic and griping pain, in poor appetite and in Vata disorders where wind is trapped. Its Anulomana action makes it useful where the bowel is sluggish without being constipated. It appears in Chitrakadi Vati and the digestive compounds of this catalogue.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Ajmod?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Ajmod classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Ajmod carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Ajmod is used medicinally?
The part used is Seed, Seed (Sd.).
How much Ajmod is taken, and how?
Seed powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with warm water; often taken with rock salt for colic. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Ajmod be avoided?
Heating and drying; may aggravate Pitta and cause acidity in excess. Avoid in hyperacidity and peptic ulcer. Not advised in medicinal doses during pregnancy, though culinary use is unremarkable.
Where does Ajmod grow?
Cultivated across India as a cool-season crop, chiefly in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, and naturalised on waste ground.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Ajamoda
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; deepana and shulahara. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Part I — Ajamoda
Fruit of Apium leptophyllum; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Heating and drying; may aggravate Pitta and cause acidity in excess. Avoid in hyperacidity and peptic ulcer. Not advised in medicinal doses during pregnancy, though culinary use is unremarkable.
Where it grows
Cultivated across India as a cool-season crop, chiefly in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, and naturalised on waste ground.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ajmod the same as Ajwain?
No, though they are related and often substituted. Ajwain is Trachyspermum ammi and is hotter and more pungent; Ajmod is Apium leptophyllum, milder and more aromatic. Check the botanical name on the label.
How is it taken for colic?
Traditionally as a powder with warm water and a little rock salt, after food.
