Ajwain / Trachyspermum ammi

Botanical description of Ajwain

• Scientific Name- Trachyspermum ammi
• Plant Family- Apiaceae
• Botanical Classification (Taxonomy)
• Class- Magnoliopsida
• Super Order- Asteranae
• Order- Apiales
• Family- Apiaceae
• Super Division- Embryophyta
• Division- Tracheophyta (Tracheophytes or Vascular Plants)
• Sub Division- Spermatophytina (Spermatophytes or Seed Plants)
• Kingdom- Plantae
• Sub-Kingdom- Viridiplantae
• Infra Kingdom- Streptophyta (Land Plants)
• Genus- Trachyspermum (Ajowan Caraway)
• Species- Trachyspermum Ammi

Description-

Ajwain is also known as carom seeds or ajowan caraway. It is an Indian spice and its ayurvedic medicines formulated with these are used in digestive ailment, mental diseases, and respiratory disorders.

It is also a common home remedy used for a variety of health conditions such as abdominal pain, cramps, intestinal gas, indigestion, vomiting, and abdominal distension, and diarrhea, loose stool, breathing trouble and heaviness in the abdomen after a meal.

Names in different languages:

• English name- Carom seeds
• Hindi name- Ajvain, Javaayin, Jabaayan, Ajavan, Ajwain, Ajovaam
• Punjabi name- Jabain
• Tamil name: Oman, Amam, Ajamo, Aman
• Kannada name: Oma, Omada kalu
• Bengali name: Yoyaan, Yamaarni, Jovaan, Yamaarni
• Farsi name: Nanakhaha
• Malayalam: Omam
• Telgu name: Omasu, Omami, Vamu, Oma
• Gujarati name: Javaain, Ajamaa, Ajamo, Yavaan

Its Sanskrit synonyms:

Teevragandha, Ajamodika, Yavanaka, Yavasahva, Bhumikadambaka, Yavagraja, Deepyaka, Brahmadarbha, Bhutika, Yavashavaya, and ugragandha (strong odor)

What are the medicinal properties of ajwain?

• Rasa (Taste)- Tika (bitter) and Katu (pungent)
• Guna (Qualities)- Teekshan (piercing and enters into deep tissues), Laghu (light to digest) and Rooksha (dryness)
• Veerya (Potency)- Ushna (hot)
• Vipaka (taste conversion after digestion)- Katu (pungent)

Its benefits:

1. Gulma- Bloating and abdominal tumor
2. Udara- Ascites
3. Ruchya- Improves the taste
4. Anaha- Abdominal bloating
5. Deepani- Improves the digestive strength
6. Krumi- Worm infestation
7. Vishamaya- Poisoning, toxic conditions
8. Shula- Abdominal colic pain
9. Shukrahara- Decreases semen
10. Shulahara- Treats abdominal colic pain
11. Pleeha- Splenomegaly

What are the medicinal uses of ajwain?

Ajwain has the following healing properties:

• Antioxidant
• Anthelmintic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-arthritic
• Antiflatulent
• Antispasmodic
• Digestive Stimulant
• Hypo-glycemic
• Analgesic
• Carminative
• Muscle relaxant
• Galactagogue
• Emmenagogue
• Antifungal
• Antimicrobial
• Antihypertensive
• Bronchodilator
• Antifilarial
• Diuretic
• Cardiac Stimulant

Culinary uses of Ajwain are:

Ajwain has great importance in Indian cooking that provides flavor and fragrance to food recipes. It also provides a unique taste to chapatis and recipes. It also prevents indigestion, abdominal pain, and all other abdominal disorders.

What are the therapeutic Indications of Ajwain?

Ajwain can be used in the following health conditions like:

• Digestive Health
• Loss of appetite
• Indigestion
• Gas or flatulence
• Bloating
• Distension of abdomen
• Loose stools or diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Intestinal parasites
• Heart and Blood-related disorders like High cholesterol levels, Atherosclerosis, Bradycardia (Slow Heart Rate)
• Lungs and airways like Chronic cough, Asthma, Productive cough with foul smelly sputum, Muscle,
• Bones and Joints like muscle spasm, rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout (used with celery seeds)
• Women’s Health
• Secondary amenorrhea
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Backache during periods

Its therapeutic uses:

Ajwain Water for babies

Ajwain water is a milder remedy for infantile colic that alleviates abdominal pain in babies. It can be used in combination with fennel water for getting quick results. It works effectively in pain occurs due to excess intestinal gas and ingestion.

Intestinal Gas & Flatulence

It can be used to treat gas and flatulence as it reduces the gas formation in the abdomen and releases the already formed in the intestine. It also has carminative and antiflatulent properties on the body which gives very good results.

Heaviness in the abdomen

The most important benefits of drinking ajwain water are it helps in relieving abdominal heaviness and bloating. It generally occurs after taking a meal in most people. In this case, you should drink ajwain water immediately after a meal.

Ajwain Water for Constipation

If you have improper bowel movements and suffer from mucus discharge in the stool, then Ajwain water is the best remedy for relieving constipation. You have to drink this water once a day at night in a dosage of 120 ml before bedtime. It will improve the liver functions, increases the digestive fire and you will start getting proper bowel movements in the morning.