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    Home»Herbs and Spices»Uses and benefits of Ammoniacum – Dorema ammoniacum
    Herbs and Spices

    Uses and benefits of Ammoniacum – Dorema ammoniacum

    By SylviaSeptember 23, 2020Updated:September 24, 2020No Comments5 Mins Read
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    Ammoniacum, or gum ammoniac, is a gum-resin exuded from the stem of the perennial herb Dorema ammoniacum belonging to Apiaceae ⁄ Umbelliferae (Carrot family). The plant is native to Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Sibiria and northern Russia. Some of the popular common names of the plants include Gum ammoniac, Gummi-resina ammoniacum, Ammoniac, Ammoniac-plant and Ammoniakum. Ammoniacum is medicinally similar to asafetida and galbanum (from which, however, it differs in yielding no umbelliferone) both in regard to the plant which yields it and its putative therapeutically affects.

    Ammoniacum Facts

    Ammoniacum Quick Facts
    Name: Ammoniacum
    Scientific Name: Dorema ammoniacum
    Origin Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Sibiria and northern Russia
    Shapes Achenes
    Taste Acrid
    Health benefits Beneficial for chronic bronchitis, asthma, catarrh, swellings of the joints, indolent tumors, cough, induce sweating, menstruation
    Name Ammoniacum
    Scientific Name Dorema ammoniacum
    Native Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Sibiria and northern Russia
    Common Names Gum ammoniac, Gummi-resina ammoniacum, Ammoniac, Ammoniac-plant, Ammoniakum
    Name in Other Languages English: Ammoniac, Ammoniac-plant, Ammoniakum
    French: Dorème ammoniac
    German: Ammoniacum, Ammoniakharzpflanze
    Italian: Ammoniaco
    Swedish: Dorema
    Plant Growth Habit Clump-forming perennial plant
    Growing Climates Loess loams in desert areas, dry rocky areas
    Plant Size 2½ or 3 meters (8 or 9 ft.)
    Leaf Have tripinnate leaves that are alternate. The elliptic leaflets are petiolate
    Flower Plant produces compound umbels of white five-stellate flowers
    Fruit Shape & Size Achenes
    Flavor/ aroma Faintly fetid, unpleasant odor, which becomes more distinct on heating
    Taste Acrid
    Plant Parts Used Gum resin exuding from the flowering and fruiting stem

    Plant Description

    Ammoniacum is a clump-forming perennial plant that normally grows about 2½ or 3 meters (8 or 9 ft.) tall. The plant is found growing in loess loams in desert areas and dry rocky areas. The plant has tripinnate leaves that are alternate. The elliptic leaflets are petiolata.  The plant produces compound umbels of white five-stellate flowers. Fertile flowers are followed by achene.

    Its whole stem is pervaded with a milky juice, which oozes out on an incision being made at any part, which is pressed into blocks and then ground into a powder. This juice speedily hardens into round tears, forming the “tear ammoniacum” of commerce. “Lump ammoniacum”, the other form of the substance, consists of aggregations of tears, frequently incorporating fragments of the plant itself, as well as other foreign bodies.

    Ammoniacum has a faintly fetid, unpleasant odor, which becomes more distinct on heating; externally, it possesses a reddish-yellow appearance, and when the tears or lumps are freshly fractured they exhibit a waxy luster. It is chiefly collected in central Persia, and comes to the European market by way of Bombay. Internally it is used in conjunction with squills in bronchial affections.  In asthma and chronic colds it is found useful, but it has no advantages over a number of other substances of more constant and active properties.

    Ammoniacum Image Gallery
    Ammoniacum-plant Ammoniacum-plant
    Closer-view-of-gum-of-Ammoniacum Closer-view-of-gum-of-Ammoniacum
    Closer-view-of-flower-of-Ammoniacum Closer-view-of-flower-of-Ammoniacum
    Fruits-and-seeds-of-Ammoniacum Fruits-and-seeds-of-Ammoniacum
    Gum-of-Ammoniacum Gum-of-Ammoniacum
    Gum-on-the-Ammoniacum-plant Gum-on-the-Ammoniacum-plant
    Plant-Illustration-of-Ammoniacum Plant-Illustration-of-Ammoniacum
    Sketch-of-Ammoniacum Sketch-of-Ammoniacum
    Stem-of-Ammoniacum Stem-of-Ammoniacum

    Traditional uses and benefits of Ammoniacum

    • Ammoniacum has been used in Western herbal medicine for thousands of years and is still seen as an effective remedy for various complaints of the chest.
    • Gum resin is found in cavities in the tissues of stems, roots and petioles.
    • It often exudes naturally from holes in the stems caused by beetles though this is not as pure as that obtained from the plant tissues.
    • Resin is antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, expectorant, poultice, stimulant and vasodilator.
    • It is often used internally in the treatment of chronic bronchitis (especially in the elderly), asthma and catarrh.
    • Externally, it is used as a plaster for swellings of the joints and indolent tumors.
    • Gum is used as a plaster for white swellings of the joints and for indolent tumors.
    • Its use is of great antiquity and is mentioned by Hippocrates.
    • It has been found especially useful in chronic affections of the respiratory organs, especially among the aged, or those in whom the expectoration is scanty, as in cough, asthma, etc.
    • It has likewise been found advantageous in profuse mucous discharges.
    • It has also been recommended in hysteria, but is inferior to some other of the fetid gum-resins, as asafetida.
    • Ammoniacum may be of service in small doses, in the headache resulting from disease of the frontal sinuses, in affections of the optic nerve, in catarrhal affections of the throat, nasal passages, eyes, ears and stomach, mucous diarrhea, and in pains in the limbs accompanying disease of more or less of the mucous tissues.
    • Applied externally in the form of plaster, it irritates the skin, frequently producing a papular eruption.
    • It is still listed in the British Pharmacopoeia as an antispasmodic and as an expectorant that stimulates the coughing up of thick mucus.
    • It is a specific treatment for chronic bronchitis, asthma, and persistent coughs.
    • Ammoniacum is also occasionally used to induce sweating or menstruation.

    Other Facts

    • A medicinal gum or resin called ‘Ammoniacum’ is exuded from insect damaged stems.
    • It is also used in perfumery and in porcelain cement as well as for plasters.

    Precautions

    • There are no serious side effects reported till now. However, it is always advisable to use this herb under the supervision of a homeopathic practitioner.
    • Applied externally in the form of plaster, it irritates the skin, frequently producing a papular eruption.

    References:

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2775465

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=505942#null

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dorema+ammoniacum

    https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/ammon032.html

    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DOAM2

    https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=14547

    http://tn-grin.nat.tn/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=14547

    http://en.hortipedia.com/Dorema_ammoniacum

    http://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Dorema+ammoniacum

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/DOMAM

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammoniacum

    http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/d/dorema-ammoniacum=ammoniacum.php

    https://practicalplants.org/wiki/Dorema_ammoniacum

    https://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/dorema-ammo.html

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    Ammoniacum Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Dorema ammoniacum

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Super Division Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Sub Division Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Sub Class Rosidae
    Super Order Asteranae
    Order Apiales
    Family Apiaceae ⁄ Umbelliferae (Carrot family)
    Genus Dorema D. Don (dorema)
    Species Dorema ammoniacum D. Don (ammoniakum)
    Synonyms
    • Diserneston gummiferum Jaub. & Spach              
    • Diserneston hirsutum Lofius ex I.G.Borshch
    • Dorema gummiferum (Jaub. & Spach) K.M.Korol. Dorema hirsutum Lofius ex I.G.Borshch
    • Ferula ammonifera (D.Don) Oken
    • Peucedanum ammoniacum Baill
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