Ajmoda, Celery (ApiumG raveolens)

In Sanskrit, celery is also known as Ajmoda. It is low in calories and can be eaten as raw. It is also a rich source of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system. This is one of the most popular Indian spices used for improving digestion strength. The leaves and the petiole of Ajmoda are used in the form of vegetable or salad. The plants have distinctive creamy white and green umbels of flowers and its leaves form tall upright rosettes that can reach up to 1m in height. The celery stalks are characteristically succulent and rigid; it is this part of the plant that is used for culinary purposes. It is the celery seeds that are collected for use as a medicinal herb.

Celery is a very popular salad plant, also used to flavor stews and sauces, which has been in cultivation since centuries in Asia and Europe.Celery was known to the Chinese since fifth century BC. And even before that Celery was widely in use in India especially for its healing properties. The herb is known in India as Ajwain or Ajmod. In Ayurveda, the roots and seeds of Celery were more commonly used than leaves in medicinal preparations.

Properties of Ajmoda, Celery

It contains volatile essential oil, mucilage, and salt. The essential oil contains Meethers of thymol, carvacrol, and thymoquinol, used as a carminative. The oil shows strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans, and moderate activity against Gram-positive, and Gram negative bacteria.

Benefits of Ajmoda, Celery

•   Stimulates digestive process.
•   Helps in digestion of difficult to digest food.
•   Promotes downward flow of air (anulomana).
•   Gives relief in flatulence, intestinal parasites, colic, and cramps.
•   Shows beneficial effects on asthma, cough, and cold, congestion, and bronchitis.
•   Drying in nature.
•   Dilates lungs pathway by preventing spasm.
•   Helps to get rid of the excess mucous due to expectorant, and heating action.
•   Gives relief in menstrual cramps.
•   Removes nervous constriction.
•   Specific remedy for arthritis, rheumatism, gout, and pain in joints. It reduces pain, and inflammation.
•   Detoxifies body.
•   It Balances Prana, Udana, Samana, and Apan Vayu, and thus balances entire nervous system.

Different Names

•   Latin name: Apium leptophyllum
•   Sanskri Name: Bastamoda, Kharashav, Vallimoda
•   Ayurvedic: Ajamoda, Ajamoda,Ayamoda, Ajmoja, Dipyaka
•   Bengali: Randhuni, Banyamani
•   Hindi: Ajmuda, Ajmod
•   Tamil: Omam
•   Telugu: Naranji vamu
•   Assamese: Bonjamani, Bonajain, Yamani, Ajowan
•   Malayalam: Ayamodakum, Omam

Classification of Ajmoda, Celery

•   Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
•   Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
•   Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
•   Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
•   Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
•   Order: Apiales
•   Subclass: Rosidae
•   Family: Apiaceae / Umbelliferae – Carrot family
•   Genus: Apium L. – celery

Habitat of Ajmoda, Celery

Ditches, by rivers, and in other damp locations, especially near the sea in salt marshes

Parts Used

•   Leaves
•   Root
•   Seeds

Uses & Effectiveness

•   Abortifacient: Induces abortion.
•   Analgesic: Relieve pain.
•   Antiaggregant / Antiplatelet: decrease platelet aggregation, and inhibit thrombus formation.
•   Anthelmintic: antiparasitic, expel parasitic worms (helminths), and other internal parasites from the body.
•   Antiarthritic: relieves the symptoms of arthritis
•   Antidiabetic: controls level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
•   Antirheumatic: alleviating or preventing rheumatism.
•   Anticonvulsant / Antiepileptic: prevent or reduce the severity of epileptic fits or other convulsions.
•   Choleretic: stimulating bile production by the liver.
•   Carminative: Preventing the formation or causing the expulsion of flatulence.
•   Depurative: Purifying agent.
•   Digestive: digestant.
•   Hypoglycemic: Reducing the level of the sugar glucose in the blood.
•   Lipolytic: lipid breaking.
•   Expectorant: promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs.
•   Hepatoprotective: prevent damage to the liver.
•   Nervine: calm the nerves.
•   Uterotonic: Giving tone to the uterine muscle. Used to induce contraction or greater tonicity of the uterus.

Bio Energetics of Ajmoda, Celery

Side Effects of Ajmoda, Celery

•   It can be used safely in the recommended dosage.
•   It should be taken cautiously in the high pitta, hyperacidity as it increases Pitta / bile.
•   As a medicine it should not be used in pregnancy. As a spice it can be added to dishes.
•   It is drying in nature.
•   It does not interact with other medicines.
•   The diuretic action of Ajamoda works by irritating the kidneys, and therefore should be used with caution in cases of renal disorder.