cumin
Cuminum cyminum, C. odorum
Common trade names
Cummin
Available forms
The applicable part of cumin is the fruit and seed. Available as seeds, ground powder, and fruit.
Uses
Traditionally, cumin is used for flatulence, stomach disorders, diarrhea, and colic. It has also been taken for rheumatic ailments. In food and beverages, it’s used as a flavoring agent.
It has been used as an abortive and as an emmenagogue. It’s also used in India to treat kidney and bladder stones, chronic diarrhea, leprosy, and eye disease. In Indonesia, cumin is used in cases of bloody diarrhea; for headache, a paste is applied to the forehead.
Adverse reactions
Skin: phototoxicity.
Interactions
Herb-drug. Barbiturates: May increase or decrease level of barbiturate depending on cumin dose. Monitor barbiturate levels and symptoms of toxicity or exacerbation of disease.
Cautions
Pregnant and breast-feeding patients should avoid excessive use (beyond what would be used for food preparation).
Excerpted from comprehensive monographs in Nursing Herbal Medicine Handbook, 3rd Edition.
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