Ammi majus L.
Family: Apiaceae
Synonyms: Aethusa ammi Spreng., Ammi boeberi Hell. ex Hoffm., Ammi broussonetii DC., Ammi cicutifolium Willd. ex Schult., Ammi elatum Salisb., Ammi glaucifolium L., Ammi intermedium DC., Ammi majus var. glaucifolium (L.) Mérat, Ammi majus var. glaucifolium (L.) Noulet, Ammi majus var. heterophyllum Lowe, Ammi majus var. intermedium (DC.) Gren. & Godr., Ammi majus var. isophyllum Lowe, Ammi majus var. laciniatum Godr., Ammi majus var. serratum Mutel, Ammi majus var. tenue Ball, Ammi majus var. tenuifolium Lowe, Ammi pauciradiatum Hochst. ex A.Rich., Ammi pumilum (Brot.) DC., Anethum pinnatum Ruiz & Pav. ex Urban, Apium ammi Crantz , Apium ammi-maius Crantz, Apium candollei M.Hiroe, Apium petraeum Crantz, Apium pumilum (Brot.) Calest., Carum majus (L.) Koso-Pol., Cuminum aethiopicum Royle, Cuminum regium Royle, Daucus glaber Parsa , Daucus parsae M.Hiroe, Helosciadium lateriflorum Koch, Pimpinella capillacea Poit. ex Urb., Pimpinella lateriflora Link, Selinum ammoides E.H.L. Krause, Sison fasciculatum Pohl ex DC., Sison haenkei C.Presl ex DC., Sison lateriflorum Bertol., Sison majus Eaton & Wright, Sison pumilum Brot., Visnaga vulgaris Bubani
- English: large bullwort
- Chinese: 大阿米芹
- Dutch: Groot akkerscherm
- Finnish: Isosudenporkkana
- French: Ammi élevé, Grand ammi
- German: Grosse Knorpelmöhre
- Hebrew: אמיתה גדולה
- Italian: rizzomolo
- Portuguese: gertrudes
- Russian: Амми большая
- Spanish: ameo bastardo
- Swedish: slöjsilja
- Unani: Itarilaal, Khalah
Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photosensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people; allergic rhinitis and contact urticaria due to exposure to the fruits. Seeds contraceptive, diuretic, tonic, emmenagogue, molluscicidal, antibacterial, fungicidal, used for asthma, menstruation, angina, leprosy, kidney stones and urinary tract infections; dried ripe fruits (or seeds) for skin diseases such as psoriasis and vitiligo; root or seeds chewed to give protection from strong sunlight. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
Source of xanthotoxin, a drug employed in the treatment of leucoderma. Dried fruit powder or extract of the plant is used topically in vitiligo. The fruits contain ammoidin (xanthotoxin), ammidin (imperatorin) and majudin (bergapten). All the three compounds are used in leucoderma. Maximum xanthotoxin content is found in green fruits from Jammu. The 8-MOP, methoxypsoralen constituent of the weed is one of the first agents used along with UVA radiation to treat psoriasis. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
Used in the treatment of vitiligo, include both 8- and 5-methoxypsoralen along with imperatorin
(8-isopentenyloxypsoralen). [Medical Hrebalism - The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine]
Ammi majus fruit contains amorphous glucoside 1%, tannin 0.45%, oleoresin 4.76%, acrid oil 3.2%, fixed oil 12.92%, proteins 13.83% and cellulose 22.4%. This is one of the richest sources of linear furocoumarins. Ivie (1978) evaluated the furocoumarin chemistry of taxa Ammi majus and reported the presence of xanthotoxin, bergapten, imperatorin, oxypencedanin, heraclenin, sexalin, pabulenol and many other compounds. Furocoumarins have bactericidal, fungicidal, insecticidal, larvicidal, moluscicidal, nematicidal, ovicidal, viricidal and herbicidal activities. [Medicinal Plants Kerala Ag University]
Uses described in traditional medicine As an emmenagogue to regulate menstruation, as a diuretic, and for treatment of leprosy, kidney stones and urinary tract infections. [WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants - Volume 3]
257 Published articles of Ammi majus
