Ajowan

The thyme-like odour of ajowan does not come from thyme. It comes from thymol, synthesised in the seed of an entirely separate plant. Ajowan seed was once a principal commercial source of thymol for exactly this reason.

01 · Origin

Trachyspermum ammi is a small annual of the carrot family, Apiaceae, native to India and the Middle East, where the seed is a common culinary spice. This oil is steam distilled in India from the seeds of conventionally grown plants.

02 · Chemistry

Gamma-terpinene, thymol and para-cymene lead. The three are biosynthetically linked: gamma-terpinene and para-cymene are precursors of thymol in the plant. Thymol is a phenol, which governs how the oil is used. Comparative work alongside Thyme, Thymol (No. 2830) shows the same phenol in an Apiaceae and a Lamiaceae context.

03 · In Practice

Sharp, warm and spicy, with a herbaceous, thyme-like body. Reads as a top to middle note. Used at low concentration only, in diffusion and in massage blends well diluted. Blends with cardamom, ginger, coriander, cumin, fennel, rosemary and lemon.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.