1. Names:

Sanskrit:	Jirna, Magadha, Jirana		Enlarge photo
English:	Cumin
Botanical:	Cuminum cyminum
Hindi:	Zira
Telugu:	Jila karra
Common names:	Jeera, jeraka, jira, zeera, zira, sufaid..., safed...(white), kala...(black), kalonji (cf Nigella), cheeregum, Jiru ,Jirakam , Jiregire
Family name:	Umbelliferae

2. Parts used:

• Seeds

3. Properties and Action According to Indigenous Medical Systems:

• Rasa: Spicy.
• Vipaka: Spicy.
• Veerya: Ushna veerya.

4. Uses:

(Culinary)

• Cumin is used mainly in spicy dishes.
• It is main content of spicy powders.
• In many savoury spice mixtures.
• It is widely used in soups in powder form.

(Medicinal)

• Cumin is stomachic, diuretic, carminative, stimulant, astringent, carminative, emmenagogic and antispasmodic in nature.
• It is a good remedy for dyspepsia diarrhoea and hoarseness.
• It relieves flatulence and colic, nausea in pregnancy.
• It is widely used in veterinary medicine.
• It relieves the pains swelling of the breast or the testicles.
• It stops hiccups.
• It stimulates the appetite.

5. Names due to Physical properties:

• Sakhya: Used in recipes.

6. Names due to Medical properties:

• Vataghni: Balances vata.

7. Reference:

Vasthu guna deepika, Vasthu guna prakashika, Chakradatta, Susrutam, Basabarajeezam, Bhavaprakashika, Vangacena, Charakasamhita, Vagvatamu, Hareetasamhita, Srijanakalpavalli.

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