Bishop's Weed or Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi Linn.): A Traditional Medicinal Plant with Pharmacological Importance, Ethno-Botanical Uses, and Nutritional Benefits for Quality Life Improvement

Trachyspermum ammi Linn., a common aromatic medicinal and spice plant belonging to the family Apiaceae and has been widely distributed across the globe. The leaves and fruits of the plants are utilized in folk medicinal practices as well as preventive measure against painful menstruation, gastrointestinal problems, and chronic arthritis. Mature fruits and seeds of the plant are common source for different phytochemicals such as essential oil, tannins, glycosides, dietary fibers, saponins, and alkaloids. Essential oil containing major bioactive ingredients viz. p-cymene, β-phellandrene, thymol, and γ-terpinene possess antioxidant, antihelminthic, antispasmodic, and antiseptic properties. The essential oil and the fruit extract have been used as potent anti-cancerous agent against HepG2 cells. Bioactive components of T. ammi essential oil have anti-proliferative activity against hepatic carcinoma by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of JNK/MAPK pathway. Moreover, the essential oil actively modulated the different cellular enzymes such as cytochrome oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase and pancreatic lipase 356with maximum degradation of aflatoxin G1 . Seeds have remarkable role in controlling blood pressure by modulation of Ca2+ ions channels. Based on the above background, the present article highlights the detailed survey of novel indigenous medicinal plant, T. ammi with emphasis on pharmaceutical significance, phyto-chemical profiling, nutritional benefits, and ethnomedicinal properties.