Its Botanical name is Carum copticum. Deepyakaa and Yavaanee are its Sanskrit names. It is called Ajwain in Hindi.
It is a household herb in India. It is being used as a carminative medicine from the time of Charaka and Sushrutha. Ajwain plant belongs to the family of coriander, resembles dill plant and grows up to 3 feet. It is available in almost all parts of India.
The name ajwain is derived from the Hindi word Adarjawan that means “one which reeds” (attributed to the carminative properties). The chemicals and volatile oil in the seeds (botanically speaking, they are fruits) stimulate the gastric secretions and movements of the villi in the intestines, destroy the harmful germs and prevent the fermentation in the intestines.
Ajwain seeds contain a volatile oil that is rich in cymene, terpene, thymine and steroptin. There is 25 to 35 per cent fixed oil. Thymol is the chief constituent of ajwain seeds.
The seeds are usually crowned by a ring of calyx. The dry seeds are harvested in the form of ajwain seeds. Seeds are ovate about 2 mm long and 1 mm broad. There are five ridges over each seed with a depression in the middle. Inside the seed there are nine oil tubes that run vertically in them. Seeds are aromatic, sharp, tingling and slightly bitter. The color of the seeds is greenish brown.
MEDICINAL USES
• Ajwain is popular mainly for stimulating digestion and correcting digestive disorders. Soak ajwain seeds in fresh ginger juice, and dry in shade. Then, soak them in fresh lime and dry again. Later, soak in mint juice and papaya sap and dry again. Powder the processed dry seeds and preserve in a clean airtight container. Take a pinch of the powder immediately after food for digestive troubles such as dyspepsia, heartburn, indigestion flatulent colic, diarrhea due to indigestion, and gastrointestinal infection. To enhance its carminative properties, you can combine this mixture with black salt or rock salt.
A teaspoonful of the ajwain infusion mixed with two grains of soda-bicarb (baking soda) is given as a medicine for indigestion and flatulence in children. Giving it with each feed helps easy digestion and prevents vomiting. Eating ajwain seeds with jaggery alleviates urticaria that results due to indigestion.
• As it has kapha and vaata pacifying nature, it is often used in respiratory troubles and a variety of allergies. Prepare ajwain decoction by boiling a teaspoonful of the seeds and fenugreek in a glass of water for half an hour. Mix half cup of infusion with a tablespoonful of honey and take thrice daily as an effective expectorant during the treatment of tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, lung abscess, etc. If you have throat troubles like acute pharyngitis, sore throat, hoarseness of the voice, just infuse ajwain; add common salt and gargle. Chewing a pinch of seeds with a crystal of common salt and a clove is a remedy for cough caused by acute pharyngitis and influenza. Chewing ajwain seeds prevents foul breath. In case of bronchial asthma, roll a fistful of ajwain seeds in cotton cloth, heat it on a frying pan and apply on chest and neck when bearably hot.
• Fumes of the ajwain seeds inhaled carefully thrice daily for a month or two reduce the desire for alcohol and opium. In case of migraine, roll some ajwain seeds in a piece of tissue paper, light it and smoke like a cigarette.
• It acts as an excellent nerve tonic. Fry ajwain seeds in pure cow’s ghee with the kernel of tamarind seeds in equal proportion. After the mixture turns golden brown, powder and preserve in an airtight container. Take a teaspoonful of this powder with honey and milk before going to bed.
• Ajwain acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Powder of the ajwain seeds mixed with white of an egg is applied over umbilical hernia in infants and children and the same mixed with honey and lime juice is applied as a therapy for scorpion sting, acne etc. In case of earache and boils inside the ear, heat mustard oil (2 tsp), add ajwain seeds (V2 tsp) and crushed garlic (one or two flakes) and boil till the contents become red, filter and use as ear drops. Apart from this, ajwain seeds are fried in coconut oil and is massaged as a liniment for muscular pains. In case of boils, to prevent the pain and swelling, pound ajwain seeds, onion, turmeric and castor oil together and heat the mixture and then place on a betel leaf and apply as a poultice over boils. Powder of the seeds mixed with alum and salt is used dentifrice.
PLEASE NOTE
Excessive use of ajwain seeds may cause dryness of the body fluids, and may reduce the secretion of milk and semen.