Celery – Ajmoda Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects, Remedies

Celery is known as Ajmoda in Sanskrit. It is a famous Indian spice, used to improve digestion strength. Its leaves, petiole etc. are used as vegetables. Its botanical name is Apium graveolens / Carum roxburghianum / Trachyspermum roxburghianum belongs to the family Umbelliferae (Satapushpa kula)

Celery medicinal qualities

Guna (qualities) –Laghu (light to digest), Rooksha (dry), Teekshna (piercing, enters deep tissues)
Rasa (taste) – Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter)
Vipaka (taste conversion after digestion) – Katu (pungent)
Veerya (potency) – Ushna (hot)
Effect on Tridosha –Kaphavatahara – balances Kapha and Vata

Ajmoda Water

1 kg of Ajmoda is soaked in 18 liters of water overnight.
Next day, it is subject to the distillation process and 15 liters of ajmoda water is collected and stored in air tight containers. But if you are like me, you do not have a distillation apparatus at home.
Here is an alternative method to prepare Ajmoda water.

We will prepare ajmoda Phanta, a hot infusion of Ajamoda.
So, here we take 1 part of celery powder. It can be fine powder or coarse powder.

Add 4 parts of hot water to it.
If you are taking 10 grams of ajamoda, add 40 ml of hot water to it.
Wait for 10 minutes so that the ajmoda powder gives away its medicinal principles to the water.
Then macerate it well and filter.
This freshly prepared Ajamoda phanta can be used as a substitute for the classical celery water.
Its dose is – 3 ml, 3 – 4 times a day for the adults.
And 5 – 10 drops for the children.
It is useful in bloating, abdominal cramps, weak digestion and heaviness of abdomen.
It has a cleansing effect over the urinary bladder.
It calms Vata and Kapha.
It can be administered before or after food.
Seek your doctor’s advice before giving it to children and pregnant mothers.
There are no known side effects with this remedy.
But a dose higher than 5 ml can cause nausea in some people.
After preparation, it can be stored for a period of 6 – 12 hours only.
It is useful in bloating, abdominal cramps, weak digestion and heaviness of the abdomen.
It has to be prepared fresh everyday and it can only be stored for 6-8 hours.
It is best to prepare fresh and administer.

Oma water dose: 
Adult dose – 5- 10 ml.
In children, it is given in the dose of 5 – 10 drops. once or twice a day after food.

Sanskrit Verse

Benefits and uses

Ajmoda is –
Bastirogarujapaha – cleanses urinary bladder, relieves bladder pain
Deepani – improves digestion strength
Vidahini – may cause burning sensation
Hrudya – good for heart, cardiac tonic
Vrushya – natural aphrodisiac
Balakari – improves strength
Useful in
Netramaya – eye disorders
Krumi – worm infestation
Chardi – vomiting
Hikka – hiccups
Bastiruja – urinary bladder pain
Adhmana – bloating, gaseous distension of abdomen
Aruchi – Anorexia, lack of interest in food

Part used, Dosage

Part used: Fruits
Dose: Fruit powder – 1- 3 grams per day.

Yoga (Formulations)

Ajamodadi kwatha
Ajamodadi churna
Hingashtaka churna

Side effects

In correct dose, used as per doctor’s guidance, it does not have side effects.
In a very large dose, it is not recommended in pregnancy, as it may cause uterine contractions.

Morphology

Ajamoda is an erect annual herb growing up to 2 – 3 ft tall. Leaves are pinnate to bi-pinnate. Flowers are small, creamy white occur in dense compound umbels. Seeds are broad ovoid to globose.

Distribution

Celery plant is cultivated in Europe, America and Asian countries.

Phytochemical Constituents

Celery contains glycosides, steroids and different types of phenolic including furanocoumarins, flavones and trace elements such as sodium, potassium, calcium and iron. (A)

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Varieties

There are two types of wild variety of celery as mentioned in Bhavaprakasha.
1. Seseli indicum
2. Thymus serpyllum

Ayurvedic medicines

Important Ayurvedic products:
Vettumaran Gulika – used in fever, vomiting and abdominal colic pain
Kankayan Vati – useful in hemorrhoids, intestinal worm infestation, bloating etc.
Mahayograj Guggul – useful in joint disorders, gout, emaciation, bloating etc.

Celery leaves

Balances Vata and Pitta Dosha. 
Are useful in maintaining blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, improves blood circulation,
Improves digestion, useful in bloating
Useful in urinary tract disorders.

Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt

Taste – pungent, bitter
Properties – light, dry, sharp, piercing
Potency – hot
After digestion taste transformation ( Vipaka )   – pungent
Effect on Doshas
Vata balancing
Pitta increasing
Kapha balancing
Pharmacological actions – Carminative, Stimulant, Expectorant, Cardiotonic

Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt

Taste – pungent, bitter, slightly salty
Properties – light, dry, sharp, piercing
Potency – hot
After digestion taste transformation ( Vipaka ) – pungent
Effect on Doshas
Vata balancing
Pitta increasing (salt is also Pittakara)
Kapha balancing

Celeriac, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt

Vernacular names, Sanskrit synonyms

English name – Celery, Ajowan
Hindi name – Ajamoda, Ajamooda, Ajamotha
Bengali name – Vanyamani, Randhuni, Ajamooda, Chanu
Marathi name – Ajamoda, Ajamoda vova, Koranja
Gujarati name – Bodi ajamoda, Ajamoda, Bodi ajamo
Telugu name – Ajumoda vayu, Voma, Ashmadaagaam, Vomaam, Ajodavomaru
Kannada name – Ajamoda oma
Malayalam name – Ayamodakam
Arabic and Farsi name – Karafsehindi
Punjabi name – Bhootajata
Tamil name – Ashma, Taagama, Taagama, Ashmatha omaan

Sanskrit synonyms:
Bastamoda, Ajamoda – smell resembles goat
Kharashva, Lochakarkata, Kharahva, Vallimoda, Hastimayuraka, Mayoora, Deepyaka
Bhramakusha, Karavi, Lochamastaka, Markati, Gandhadala, Hastikaaravi, Gandapatrika, Mayuri, Shikimoda, Modadya, Vahanideepika, Brahmakoshi, Vishali
Moda, Hastimayooraka, Hridyaganda, Lochamarkata,
Ugragandha – have strong aroma

Classical categorization

Charaka samhita:
Shoolaprashamana – herbs that relieve abdominal pain
Deepaneeya – herbs that improve digestion strength
Sushruta and Vagbhata – Pippalyadi group of herbs
Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Haritakyadi varga
Kaiyadeva Nighantu – Aushadhi varga
Dhanvantari Nighantu – Shatapushpaadi varga
Raja Nighantu – Pippalyadi varga

Taste – mild bitter, pungent
Properties – light, dry (less carbohydrate content)
Potency – hot (improves digestion)
After digestion taste transformation ( Vipaka ) – pungent
Effect on Doshas
Vata balancing
Pitta increasing
Kapha balancing

Systemic Action (Sthanika Karma)

External – Analgesic, External application causes burning sensation.

Digestive System – Carminative, , Facilitate movement vata dosha in proper direction, Indicated in Colic pain, Helminthiasis, Abdominal distension, etc.

Circulatory System – Cardiac stimulant

Respiratory System – Pacifies kapha dosha, In Asthma, Chronic cough, Hiccough its powder can be used for internal administration and for herbal smoking.
Excretory System – Indicated in Dysuria. Stimulates urine production.
Reproductive system – Indicated in Dysmenorrhea. Aphrodisiac, Uterine stimulant.