Ajmoda
Apium leptophyllum
Ajmoda (Apium leptophyllum) is a plant drug, from the Apiaceae family. Apiol and myristicin are well absorbed from the GI tract. Essential oil components enhance their own absorption and that of co-administered herbs. Piperine co-administration may further increase plasma levels of key constituents by 25-30%.
| Botanical name | Apium leptophyllum |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. I: AJAMODA (Fruit) |
| Also called | Trachyspermum roxburghianum (DC) Sprague, Syn. Carum roxburghianum Benth. Hook.f. (attribution recorded without a cited source) Apium graveolens L. (regional usage) |
| Currently accepted name | Cyclospermum leptophyllum (Pers.) Sprague, the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use |
| Family | Apiaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Apiales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 5371895 · Wikidata Q17142977 · NCBI Taxonomy 2860399 |
The evidence at a glance
7papers on this site for this drug, published 2011 to 2023, every one with a DOI.
- 1Other clinical studies and reviews
- 6Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Ajmoda |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu, Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Capsule, Tablet, Arka (distillate), Taila (essential oil), Kwatha (decoction)
Standard Dosage: 1-3g powder twice daily; 500mg-1g extract capsule; 2-5 drops essential oil (diluted, for external use)
Optimal Timing: After meals with warm water for digestive complaints; before meals for appetite stimulation
Storage: Airtight containers, cool and dry place, protected from light. Essential oil in amber glass bottles at 15-25°C. Seeds best stored whole until processing.
Marker Compounds: Apiol, Myristicin, Thymol, Carvacrol, Limonene, Beta-pinene
Synergistic Combinations
- With Hingu (asafoetida) for Vatanulomana (carminative action)
- With Sunthi and Maricha for digestive stimulation
- With Ajwain for colic and flatulence
- With Saindhava lavana for appetite stimulation
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Other clinical studies and reviews1
- 2023. Antioxidant Potential of Ethiopian Medicinal Plants and Their Phytochemicals: A Review of Pharmacological EvaluationEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. PMID 37868204 · doi:10.1155/2023/1901529
Laboratory and animal studies6
- 2023. Comparative Analysis of the Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Apium graveolens and Apium leptophyllum Provide Insights into Evolution and Phylogeny RelationshipsInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 37834070 · doi:10.3390/ijms241914615
- 2016. Antidiarrhoeal investigation of Apium leptophyllum (Pers.) by modulation of Na(+)K(+)ATPase, nitrous oxide and intestinal transit in ratsBiomedical journal. PMID 28043416 · doi:10.1016/j.bj.2016.11.003
- 2016. Pharmacological evaluation of Apium leptophyllum (Pers.) on bronchial asthmaJournal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences. PMID 28216960 · doi:10.4103/0975-7406.199343
- 2015. Is chemo-preventive effect of Apium leptophyllum (Pers.) caused only by anti-oxidative property of flavonoids?Indian journal of pharmacology. PMID 26069382 · doi:10.4103/0253-7613.157142
- 2014. Chemopreventive potential of Apium leptophyllum (Pers.) against DMBA induced skin carcinogenesis model by modulatory influence on biochemical and antioxidant biomarkers in Swiss miceIndian journal of pharmacology. PMID 25298584 · doi:10.4103/0253-7613.140587
- 2011. Essential oil composition of aerial parts of Cyclospermum leptophyllum (Pers.) Sprague ex Britton and P. WilsonNatural product research. PMID 21409720 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2010.487190
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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