Uma Agarwal, Dharam Pal Pathak
Abstract
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is an annual herbaceous flowering plant belonging to family Apiaceae, also known as the Umbelliferae family. Cumin is native from the East Mediterranean to South Asia and today, grown all over the world for its pleasantly aromatic seeds. Cumin has been found to possess various pharmacological activities such as immunomodulator, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, analgesic, hepatoprotective, anti-osteoporotic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthamatic, anti-stress, anti-infertility, dietary fibre, anti-cancer, blood platelet aggregation, anti-tussive activities and also has ophthalmic effects due to the presence of various chemical constituents. It contains 2.5 to 4.5% volatile oil, 10% fixed oil and proteins. Volatile oil mainly consists of 30 to 50% cuminaldehyde, small quantities of α-pinene, β-pinene, phellandrene, cuminic alcohol, hydrated cuminaldehyde and hydro cuminine which make it suitable for medicinal purpose.