Ajmoda
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Ingredients :Ajmoda
English Name :Celery fruit
Latin Name :Apium graveolens
Macroscopy:

It is a biennial erect herb about 2 to 3 ft. high. Leaves pinnate, arising from the roots, deeply lobed; segments coarsely toothed at the apex; lower stalks very short. The fruit is small, about 1 mm. long and 1 mm. diameter, and contains minute seeds. The epicarp is interspersed with oil ducts.

Chemical Constituents:

Its leaves contain moisture (81.3%). Carbohydrates(8.6%). Fat(0.6%), protein(6.0%), calcium(0.23%), Iron(6.3 mg.) vitamin A (5800 to 7500 IU) and vitamin C (62 mg / 100gm); the stalks contain moisture (93.5%), carbohydrates (3.5%), protein (0.8%), calcium (0.03%) iron (4.8mg.), and vitamin C (6mg./100g.).The herb is also reported to contain the glucoside apiin.
The celery fruits yield 2 to 3% of pale-yellow volatile oil with a persistent odor, characteristic of the plant. The fruits also yield 17% of a fatty oil called oil of celery. Chemical constituents of the essential oil are d-limonene, d-selinene, sesquiterpene alcohols, sedanolide, and sedanomic acid anhydride. Chemical examination of the seeds showed the presence of anthoxanthins which consisted almost completely of glycosiders which have been separated into two entities called graveobioside A and graveobioside B. Both of them yielded apiose and glucose on hydrolysis, but the aglycone of gravebioside A was found to be luteolin and that of graveobioside B, chrysoeriol. It was seen that glycosided are apiose glucosides.
Psoralen, xanthotoxin, angelicin, and bergapten are obtained from edible vegetable matter, all with photodynamical activity. Bergapten is responsible for skin disorders among the cultivators. Seeds contain 10% of insoluble carbohydrates and 0.8% of an essential oil.

Uses:

The root is alternative and diuretic; this is given in dropsy and colic. The seeds are carminative, diuretic, stomachic, aphrodisiac, and tonic. Its oil is also used as an antispasmodic and nerve stimulant. It has been successfully employed in rheumatoid arthritis and probably acts as an intestinal antiseptic. As antispasmodics, they are used in bronchitis, asthma, and to some extent for liver and spleen diseases. In India celery leaves and stalk are used as salad and in the preparation of soup.