Abstract
Carum copticum L. commonly known as “Ajwain” is cultivated in many regions of the world including Iran and India, states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Traditionally, C. copticum has been used in the past for various therapeutic effects including bloating, fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal tumors, abdominal pain, respiratory distress, and loss of appetite. It has other health benefits such as antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and hypolipidemic effects. This plant contains different important components such as carbohydrates, glucosides, saponins and phenolic compounds (carvacrol), volatile oils (thymol), terpiene, paracymene and beta-pinene, protein, fat, fiber, and minerals including calcium, phosphorus, iron, and nicotinic acid (niacin). In the previous studies, several pharmacological effects were shown for C. copticum. Therefore, in this paper, the pharmacological effects of the plant were reviewed.
Highlights
C. copticum or Ajwain belongs to the Apiaceae plants family and its seeds are used extensively as a food additive in India and mainly therapeutically effective, with hot nature
The content of chromone, an isomer of the coumarin which is a drug with anticoagulant performance, in various stages of growth of C. copticum was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the results showed that the amount of chromone was higher in unripe than dried [16]
In addition the results showed that the relaxant effect of fractions 2 and 3 was not due to their inhibitory effect on muscarinic or stimulatory property on beta-adrenergic receptors [21]
Summary
C. copticum or Ajwain belongs to the Apiaceae plants family and its seeds are used extensively as a food additive in India and mainly therapeutically effective, with hot nature. C. copticum is an Egyptian aborigine plant. This plant grows in arid and semiarid fields in different regions of central Europe, Asia, India (most crops are in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and West Bengal), Iran (especially eastern regions of Baluchistan), Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan [1, 2]. The bronchodilatory, antitussive, and antidyspnea effects were demonstrated for C. copticum [3]. Different pharmacological effects were shown for C. copticum. Different pharmacological effects of C. copticum and its constituents were reviewed in the present paper
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