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The Bishop's Weed

Description: ajwain   Description: ajowan

BOTANICAL NAME:

  • Carum copticum Benth

FAMILY:

  • Umbelliferae

SYNONYM(S):

  • Trachyspermum ammi
  • Ptychotis ajowan

URDU NAME:

  • Ajwain 

REGIONAL NAME:                   

  • Bengali: Jowan, Juwani
  • Kashmiree: Jawind
  • Persian: Nankhwah
  • Hindi: Ajowan, Ajowain
  • Pashto: Sparaky
  • Sanskrit: Ajmonda
  • Sindhi: Jowan
  • Arabic: Kan'iun-e-maluki

UNANI/TIBBI NAME:

  • Ajwain

ENGLISH NAME:

  • The bishop's Weed
  • Lovage fruit ovan
  • Ajawa seeds

HABITAT:

  • Grows widely in Pakistan, is commonly cultivated in Kurram, N.W.F.P, Punjab

DESCRIPTION:

  • An erect annual herb
  • Height: about 1mm high
  • Leaves: distant, 2-3 pinnate. Bracts many, linear & divided
  • Flowers: white in colour and in umbels
  • Fruit: dark brown, ovoid, about 2mm, dorsally compressed and with distinct ridges

PART USED:

  • Fruits
  • Seeds

TASTE:

  • Bitter
  • Pungent

TEMPERAMENT:

  • Hot 3°, dry 3°

PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE:

  • Seeds are sown from October to November. Flowers appear between February to May and fruits from May to June.

PROCEDURE & TIME OF COLLECTION:

  • On ripening of the fruits during April-May the plants are cut, dried and the fruits removed by thrashing

CONSTITUENTS:

  • Essential oil
  • Thymol
  • P-cymene
  • α-pinene
  • α-terpenine, dipentine
  • Carvacrol
  • Protein, fat, carbohydrates
  • Tannins
  • Glycosides
  • Calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium
  • Thiamine
  • Riboflavin
  • Nicotinic acid
  • Carotene

SUBSTITUTES:

  • Zira Siah/Caraway (Carum carvii Linn)
  • Kalonji Black/Cumin (Nigella sativa Linn)

ACTIONS AND USES IN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE:

Pharmacological action:

  • Carminative
  • Stimulant
  • Tonic
  • Antiseptic

Therapeutic uses:

  • Diarrhea
  • Indigestion
  • Flatulence
  • Melancholia
  • Palpitation
  • Weakness of heart, stomach and brain
  • Atonic dyspepsia
  • Colic cholera

DOSES:

  • 3-5g

CORRECTIVES:

  • Dhania/Coriander(Conan drumsativumLinn)
  • Unnab/Jujube(Zizyphus vulganis Linn)  

IMPORTANT UNANI FORMULATIONS:

  • Tiyaq-i-Faruq
  • Jawanish Zar'uni sada
  • Jawanish shehr Yaran
  • Jawanish mastagi Kalan
  • Hab Asgand
  • Safuf Dama
  • Safuf Muhazzil

ASTROLOGY:

  • Mars

 
By Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences