Ammi visnaga
Encyclopedia
Ammi visnaga is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family
known by many common names, including bisnaga, toothpickweed, and khella. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it can be found throughout the world as an introduced species
. This is an annual or biennial herb growing from a taproot
erect to a maximum height near 80 centimeters. Leaves are up to 20 centimeters long and generally oval to triangular in shape but dissected into many small linear to lance-shaped segments. The inflorescence
is a compound umbel
of white flowers similar to those of other Apiaceae species. The fruit is a compressed oval-shaped body less than 3 millimeters long. This and other Ammi species are sources of khellin
, a diuretic
extract. Khella was used in Ancient Egypt
as a herbal remedy for renal colic
.
treated with psoralen
-containing plants such as Ammi majus and exposed to sunlight. There have been a number of European research papers investigating this ancient folk use of the plant. Khellin
, a chemical obtained from Ammi visnaga, was used as a smooth muscle relaxant, and the asthma drug cromolyn, which is used to prevent asthma attacks, is a synthetic derivative
of it.
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
known by many common names, including bisnaga, toothpickweed, and khella. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it can be found throughout the world as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
. This is an annual or biennial herb growing from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
erect to a maximum height near 80 centimeters. Leaves are up to 20 centimeters long and generally oval to triangular in shape but dissected into many small linear to lance-shaped segments. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a compound umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of white flowers similar to those of other Apiaceae species. The fruit is a compressed oval-shaped body less than 3 millimeters long. This and other Ammi species are sources of khellin
Khellin
Khellin is a furanochromone, an organic compound which is derivative of chromone and furan. It has lipophilic properties and causes vasodilation . It is found in the plant Ammi visnaga which has been used in Egyptian folk medicine.In Egypt, the plant "Khella" was used for renal colic...
, a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
extract. Khella was used in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
as a herbal remedy for renal colic
Renal colic
Renal colic is a type of abdominal pain commonly caused by kidney stones.-Presentation:The pain typically begins in the abdomen and often radiates to the hypochondrium or the groin. The pain is often colicky due to ureteric peristalsis, but may be constant...
.
Medicinal uses
The chemical visnagin, which is found in Ammi visnaga, has biological activity as a vasodilator and reduces blood pressure by inhibiting calcium influx into the cell. Traditionally A.visnaga tea has been used for kidney stones. Tests on rats have been promising. Ancient Egyptian and Indian writings describe vitiligoVitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition that causes depigmentation of sections of skin. It occurs when melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to function. The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but research suggests that it may arise from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress,...
treated with psoralen
Psoralen
Psoralen is the parent compound in a family of natural products known as furocoumarins. It is structurally related to coumarin by the addition of a fused furan ring, and may be considered as a derivative of umbelliferone...
-containing plants such as Ammi majus and exposed to sunlight. There have been a number of European research papers investigating this ancient folk use of the plant. Khellin
Khellin
Khellin is a furanochromone, an organic compound which is derivative of chromone and furan. It has lipophilic properties and causes vasodilation . It is found in the plant Ammi visnaga which has been used in Egyptian folk medicine.In Egypt, the plant "Khella" was used for renal colic...
, a chemical obtained from Ammi visnaga, was used as a smooth muscle relaxant, and the asthma drug cromolyn, which is used to prevent asthma attacks, is a synthetic derivative
Derivative (chemistry)
In chemistry, a derivative is a compound that is derived from a similar compound by some chemical or physical process. In the past it was also used to mean a compound that can be imagined to arise from another compound, if one atom is replaced with another atom or group of atoms, but modern...
of it.
Further reading
- Khan, Z. A., et al. (2001) Inhibition of oxalate nephrolithiasis with Ammi visnaga (AI-Khillah). International Urology and Nephrology 33:4 605-8.