CUMMIN

SYNONYMS:CUMIN SEEDS,

JIRA,

CUMINO.

BIOLOGICAL SOURCE:It consists of dried ripe

fruits of Cuminum cyminum Linn.

Family:Umbelliferae

Scientific classification:

Kingdom : Plantae

Order : Apiales

Family : Apiaceae

Genus : Cuminum

Species : Cyminum

GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE :Indigenous to Nile territory.

Cultivated in Morocco, Sicily, India, Syria and China.

About 90% of the world production is from India.

Cultivation:

Cultivation of cumin requires a long, hot summer of 3–4 months.

It is drought-tolerant, and is mostly grown in mediterranean climates.

It is grown from seed, sown in spring, and needs fertile, well-drained soil.

DESCRIPTION:The cumin plant grows to 30–50 cm (0.98–1.6 ft) tall

It is an herbaceous annual plant

The leaves are 5–10 cm long, pinnate or bipinnate, thread-like leaflets.

The flowers are small, white or pink, and borne in umbels.

•ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERS:COLOUR: Greenish or

yellowish brown.

ODOUR : Characteristic and aromatic.

TASTE : Pungent aggreable.

SIZE :. 4-6 mm in length and 2mm in thick

SHAPE : Elongated tapered on both sides.

It consists of separtated mericarps and entire cremocarps.

Which are elongated ellipsoidal and slightly compressed laterally.

Each mericarps has 5 yellowish straight primary ridges which bear very short trichomes and are glabrous.

And between them over the vittae are 4 secondary ridges.

MACROSCOPICAL CHARACTERS:

Mericarp

Carpophore

CREMOCARP FRUIT

MICROSCOPICAL CHARACTERS:

•It consists of

EPICARP

MESOCARP

ENDOCARP

A,CREMOCARP T.SB,ENTIRE CREMOCARP

C,MERICARP

RIDGE

VITTAE

VASCULAR BUNDLES

RAPHAE

CARPOPHORE

T.S OF CUMIN FRUIT

It exhibits an oily endosperm and 6 vittae of which 4 on dorsal side and 2 on ventral side.

Endosperm contain cellulosic parenchyma containing oil globules and aleurone grains.

Ridges are find longitudinally and altering with these are secondary ridges which are flat.

STAINING REAGENTS:

Phloroglucinol+ con.Hcl Pink Scl.v.b

Alc.picric acid Yellow Aleurone grains in endosperm.

Sudan red REDOil globules in cuticle

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:

It consists of 2.5 to 4% of volatile oil and 10% fixed oil and proteins.

Volatile oil contains 30 to 40% of cuminaldehyde.

Others are Alpa pinene, beta pinene, phellandrene, cuminic alcohol and hydro cuminyl.

Cuminaldehyde, or 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde, is a natural organic compound with the molecular formula C10H12O.

CUMINALDEHYDE

CHO

CH(CH3)2

CHEMICAL TESTS:

To the thin section of the drug + sudan III

RED colour is obtained by oil globules.

To the thin section of the

Drug + A drop of tincture alkane

RED colour indicates the presence of volatile oil.

Uses:Used as a carminative.

Cumin has digestive properties and when boiled in water acts as an excellent refreshener.

Cumin adds flavour to foods, liquors and beverages.

Cumin does have proven carminative and antispasmodic qualities, and is therefore said be useful in the treatment of diarrhea, stomachache.

Cumin stimulates the appetite.Cumin can help boost the liver's ability to detoxify the body.Cumin is may help relieve symptoms of cold due to it's antiseptic properties. Cumin can help increase the heat in the body thus making metabolism more efficient. Cumin can help relieve insomnia.

ADULTERANTS:

Persian cummin: derived from the species of carum.

Nigella sativa : family: Ranunculaceae.

THANQ