Ajamodha-Herb At Your Kitchen

Apium graveolens
Ajamodha

As with all members of the Umbelliferae family with their ascendant flower and seed heads, this is a digestive ‘lightener’. Its pungency and aromatic nature activate the digestive process and make light work of heavy food. Literally meaning ‘goat’s delight’, ajamodha is a delicious shrub.

Common name Celery seed (E) ,Jwano
Sanskrit Ajamodha
Latin Apium graveolens–Semen (Umbelliferae).

ENERGETICS

Rasa (taste) Pungent
Virya (energy) Heating
Vipaka(post-digestive effect) Pungent
Guna (quality) Light, dry, penetrating
Doshaeffect VK-, P+
Dhatu(tissue) Plasma, marrow, nerve
Srotas (channel) Digestive, respiratory, nervous, urinary

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Volatile oils D-limonene, alphaselinine, santalol, limonene-type monoterpenes, phthalides
Flavonoids Apiin, apigenin
Coumarins Bergapten, celeroside, isopimpinellin (Bone, 2003)

AYURVEDIC ACTION OF AJAMODHA

Dipaniya Awakens digestion
Pacaka Digestive
Sulaprasamana Alleviates intestinal spasms
Swasha Benefits breathing
Anuloma Mild laxative, corrects the flow of vata
Amanasaka Toxin digester

ajamodha

BIOMEDICAL ACTION

Antispasmodic, carminative, nervine, galactogogue, diuretic, bronchodilator, expectorant

INDICATIONS

Lungs: Asthma, bronchitis, cough, sinus congestion. Ajamodha actively helps to dilate the bronchioles by preventing spasm in the airways. It positively affects the flow of prana and udana vayu. Excess mucus accumulation, a sign of aggravated avalambaka kapha is ‘digested’ (Frawley & Lad 1994).

Digestion: Flatulence, borborygmus and intestinal cramps. Pungent volatile oils stimulate low agni. Regulates samana vayu and encourages apana vayu to flow freely downwards. It encourages the natural downward movement of digestion (Tierra 1988).

Nerves: Spasms, cramps and muscular tension. Obstructed vata is released by reducing tension throughout the whole nervous system; this directly regulates the tension versus relaxation balance in the smooth muscles. Ajamodha benefits heart pain caused by nervous constriction (Bhavapraka´sa). As an antispasmodic with an affinity for the lower abdomen, it can also help ease the pain of dysmenorrhoea and menstrual cramps.

Urine: Ajamodha seed is a specific herb for treating kidney and bladder discomfort from cold; frequent, pale urine with lower backache and nocturia (Bhavaprakasa).

Caution: should be observed in kidney inflammation as the volatile oils may cause irritation (BHMA 1992). Conversely, the vegetable ‘stalk’ heals the urinary system afflicted with problems from heat, such as urinary irritation, cystitis, pain and frequent, dark urination with burning.

Joints Ajamodha is a specific herb for rheumatism, arthritis and gout (Bone 2003). It directly reduces pain by assisting excretion of inflammatory ama toxins via the mutravahasrotas.

COMBINATIONS

Ginger, fennel, cardamom, cumin, coriander for obstructed vata and digestive discomfort.
Pippali, anthrapachaka, haritaki for vata–kapha-induced cough.
Jatamansi, brahmi, tagara for debilitated nervous system and high vata.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

High pitta; hyperacidity. It is safe in pregnancy despite mistaken concerns regarding the contraindicated apiol being contained in celery seed (Bone 2003).