Ammi visnaga
| Ammi visnaga | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Ammi visnaga (common name: visnaga)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in situ.
Cultivation: Prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position[1], succeeding in ordinary garden soil. Tolerates a pH in the range 6.8 to 8.3.
This species is not fully winter-hardy in the colder areas of Britain, though it should be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual[1].
This plant is sold as toothpicks in Egyptian markets[2].
Range: C. Europe to W. Asia and N. Africa.
Habitat: Fields and sandy places[3].
Edibility: Leaves - raw[4]. Chewed for their pleasant aromatic flavour[5].
Medicinal: Visnaga is an effective muscle relaxant and has been used for centuries to alleviate the excruciating pain of kidney stones[6]. Modern research has confirmed the validity of this traditional use[6]. Visnagin contains khellin, from which particularly safe pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of asthma have been made[6].
The seeds are diuretic and lithontripic[2]. They contain a fatty oil that includes the substance 'khellin'. This has been shown to be of benefit in the treatment of asthma[1]. Taken internally, the seeds have a strongly antispasmodic action on the smaller bronchial muscles[6], they also dilate the bronchial, urinary and blood vessels without affecting blood pressure[1]. The affect last for about 6 hours and the plant has practically no side effects[6]. The seeds are used in the treatment of asthma, angina, coronary arteriosclerosis and kidney stones[1]. By relaxing the muscles of the urethra, visnaga reduces the pain caused by trapped kidney stones and helps ease the stone down into the bladder[6]. The seeds are harvested in late summer before they have fully ripened and are dried for later use[6].
Usage: The fruiting pedicel is used as a toothpick[2][7][8] whilst the seeds have been used as a tooth cleaner[6].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[9].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Chakravarty, Hiralal. The Plant Wealth of Iraq. 1976.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.