Page 22 - Pharmacognosy-II (06-PG 303)

1- As an antispasmodic, muscle relaxant and vasodilator.
2- Treatment of mild angina symptoms and bronchial asthma.
3- As remedy for renal colic.

4- Ammi majus (Fructus Ami Majoris)

It is the dried ripe fruits of Ammi majus L. family umbeliferae.

Macroscopic characters :

Cremocarp nearly cylindrical, usually separated into its two
mericarps, rarely entire, with a part of the pedicel attached. Mericarp small,
slightly concave on the commissural side, slightly tapering towards the apex;
2.0-2.5 mm long, 0.75 mm wide. Reddish-brownish to greenish-brown,
crowned with a nectary, disc-like stylopod. Externally glabrous, rough,
marked with five broad, distinct, yellowish-brown primary ridges, alternating
with four equally prominent, dark brown secondary ridges.
Carpophore forked, each branch entering at the apex of the mericarp.

Microscopic characters :

1- Epicarp : consists of polygonal cells, with straight anticlinal walls
and short papillae, containing cluster or prismatic crystas of ca ox.

2- Mesocarp : consists of brownish parenchyma; traversed longitudinally
by six large schizogenous vittae, four in the dorsal and two in the
commissural side, which appear elliptical in transverse section, each
surrounded by large, radiating cells; traversed in the primary ridges by
fibro-vascular bundles, which appear oval, ovoid or rounded in
transverse section, not accompanied by ducts.
Innermost layer of the mesocarp: consists of large, polygonal,
brown-walled cells, with thick, non-lignified, non-porous cells.

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