Ammeos visnagae fructus

The fruit of the bishop's weed, also known as Ammi-visnaga fruit, is a drug used as a herbal medicine as a spasmolytic or diuretic for urinary and bladder disorders and for coronary circulatory disorders.

HMPC: not processed

ESCOP: not processed

Commission E: negative monograph, efficacy not proven, risk: jaundice, allergy

Empirical medicine: antispasmodic: mild stenocardic complaints, colic: kidney, gall bladder, intestine.

Effective ingredients of Ammi-visnaga fruits are Furanochrome: Khellin (up to 1 %), Khellosid, Visnadin, Khellol. Furthermore 0.2 and 0.5 % pyranocoumarin ester: e.g. visnadine, samidine, dihydrosamidine. Alkaloids: Khellinone and Visnaginone. In addition, the drug contains flavone glycosides, fatty oil, essential oils.

A negative monograph from Commission E is available on Ammi-visnaga fruit. However, the drug is used in various European countries.

The indications are mild stenocardial complaints and cramp-like abdominal complaints. Other indications include mild forms of obstructive respiratory symptoms, postoperative treatment of urinary stone disease, paroxymic tachycardia, and extrasystoles.

The usual average daily dose is 20 mg gamma-pyrone (calculated as khellin). The drug is administered in crushed form.

The use of Ammi-visnaga fruits can lead to (pseudo-) allergies, reversible chronic icterus and sleep disorders. In addition, the skin is more sensitive to light due to the intake of khellin.

During the use of Ammi-visnaga fruit, the patient should avoid uncontrolled sunbathing and UV radiation.

1. Schlicher H (2016) Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag, Munich, p 51.
2. Hoffmann J et al. (2020) New Herbal Biomedicines for the Topical Treatment of Dermatological Disorders. Biomedicines. 8(2):27 https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/8/2/27

3. Blaschek W (2015) Important tea drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Munich. S 73-74