Ammoniacum

Dorema ammoniacum

Physical Characteristics

Dorema ammoniacum is a PERENNIAL growing to 2.5 m (8ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Distribution

W. Asia - Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Antispasmodic Carminative Diaphoretic Diuretic Expectorant Poultice Stimulant Vasodilator 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[254]. A gum resin is found in cavities in the tissues of stems, roots and petioles[4]. It often exudes naturally from holes in the stems caused by beetles[238] though this is not so pure as that obtained from the plant tissues[4]. The resin is antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, expectorant, poultice, stimulant and vasodilator[4, 46, 64, 165, 238]. It is often used internally in the treatment of chronic bronchitis (especially in the elderly), asthma and catarrh[4, 238]. Externally, it is used as a plaster for swellings of the joints and indolent tumours[4, 238]. The resin exudes as a milky gum from holes made in the stems. This gum is pressed into blocks and then ground into a powder[254].

Known Hazards

None known