White Cumin

BOTANICAL NAME:

• Cuminum cyminuni linn

FAMILY:

• umblliferae
• apiaceae

SYNONYM(S):

• Nill

URDU NAME:

• Zeera safaid

REGIONAL NAME:

• Bengali: Jira
• Persian: Zira
• Hindi: Jira, Zeera
• Pashto: Aspina Zankay
• Sanskrit: Liraka Ajaji, Ajmoda, Jira
• Sindhi: Zero
• Arabic: Kamun Abyaz
• Punjabi: Zira Safaid

UNANI/TIBBI NAME:

• Zeera safaid

ENGLISH NAME:

• White cumin

HABITAT:

• It is found in Baluchistan, Loralai, Kurram, Chitral and Gilgit

DESCRIPTION:

• A small slender herb attaining the height of nearly 30 cm
• Stem branched, angular or striated.
• Leaves bluish green twice or thrice 3-partite.
• Flowers white or rose coloured umbels compound.
• Fruits grey in colour 0.5 cm long, apex and base tapering, compressed laterally with ridges.

PART USED:

• Fruit

TASTE:

• Sweet

TEMPERAMENT:

• Hot 2°, dry 2°

PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE:

• Seeds are sown from end February to early march or for the second crop at the end of October to middle of December. The plants bear fruit within 2-3 months of sowing.

PROCEDURE & TIME OF COLLECTION:

• The plants are ready for harvesting when the fruits ripen but is still green. The plants are allowed to dry for 2 to 3 days and then thrashed to separate the seeds.

CONSTITUENTS:

• Curnaldehyde
• Protein
• Carbohydrate
• Calcium
• Phosphorous
• Iron
• Vitamin A and C

SUBSTITUTES:

• Zira siah/caraway (carumcarvii)

ACTIONS AND USES IN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE:

Pharmacological action:

• Stimulant
• Carminative
• Stomachic
• astringent

Therapeutic uses:

• It is useful in diarrhea and dyspepsia. In cold phlegmatic disease, enlarged spleen

DOSES:

• 3-5 g

CORRECTIVES:

• Kateera/tragacanth (sterculia urens)

IMPORTANT UNANI FORMULATIONS:

• Majoon bawasir
• Safuf hazim
• Safuf chutki
• Arq hazim
• Arg zirah
• Jawarish mastagi

ASTROLOGY:

• Mars