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Review ArticleISSN: 2321-1520

Cumin:A Natural Drug

Shah Rupal K., Patel Priyanka J., Trivedi Goral and Saraf Meenu*

Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology ,School of Sciences,Gujarat University,Ahmedabad.

E-mail Id:sarafmeenu@gmail.com

*Corresponding Author

Received Date : 11-1-2018

Published Date : 7-3-2018

AbstractPlants are considered as rich sources of phytochemical ingredients which enable to have

medicinal value. Medicinal plants are a potential source for the development of new herbal drugs.Indian spices are used as a revitalizers and treating various diseases conditions.They can be usedas tonics,antipyretics,diuretics,antiheumatic etc. In the 21st century, the pharmacological effects ofmedicinal plants have been considered as a promising future drug/medicine for the management ofhealth care.Cumin,commonly known as ‘Jeera’ is a well known spice of Mediterranean areas.Itismostcommon ingredient of various cuisines.The ripened fruit of the cumin plant is known asCumin seeds which is used in whole or ground dried form.It consist of essential oil which is volatilein nature have a potential biological activities.The major constituent of cumin is cuminaldehyde dueto which it posseses strong,warm and spicy odor.Apart of being used as an important spice due toits aromatic property,it has various medicinal properties.hence it is classified under MAPs(Medicinaland Aromatic Plants).Cumin has reported to have antioxidant,antimicrobial,anti carcinogenicantiosteoporotic etc.properties. Therefore, the aim of the present review is to understand theknowledge of the medicinal plants as a future source of herbal drugs.

Keywords:Cumin,volatileoil,cuminaldehyde,monoterpenes.Introduction

Spices are the bionutrient used as both food flavor enhancer and nutrient supplements.Asper AyurvedicPharmacoepia( Indian System of Medicine),spices also have various medicine

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properties and also believed to aid digestion.Cuminum cyminum L. is commonly known asCumin,belongs to Apiaceae family.Cumin stem is slender with many small branches with purpleand white flowers having seeds of green colour at the center of each flower.It is an annual herbgrown in various areas of Mediterranean countries like Africa,Asia and Europe.In India,it is cultivatedin the state of Gujarat(44%) and Rajasthan(56%).Various varieties of cumin is cultivated throughoutthe world(Rebey IB et.al,2012)There are varieties of names of cumin in various international andIndian languages.As per USFDA the nutritional values are mentioned in table 3

Table:1 Some International Names of Cumin

Languages Names

Arabic Kammun

Chinese Machin

Dutch Komijn

French Cumin

German Romischer

Kummel

Table:2 Indian Names of Cumin

Languages Names

Hindi Zeera,Safaid Jeera

Gujarat i Jeeru

Punjabi Jira

Kashmiri Zyur

Oriya Jeera

Sanskri t Jirika

Marathi Jeregiri

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Table:3Nutritional values of cumin

NUTRIENTS Percent of RDA

Total Fats 33%

Cholesterol 0%

Sodium 38%

Potassium 11%

Total Carbohydrates 14%

Proteins 36%

Calcium 93%

Magnesium 91%

Iron 86%

Vitamin A 25%

Vitamin D 0%

Vitamin C 12%

Vitamin B6 20%

Vitamin B12 0%

It is one of the known spice since ancient time.It’s origin is Iran.the description regardingcumin is mentioned in both Old and New Testaments of Bible.It was the common spice for Greekswhich they kept in a container on the dining table.It was used by Egyptians for preservation andmummification of dead bodies.Cumin is the most important flavor of spice in Europe.Today,it ismostly grown in various regions of Iran,India,Syria,Mexico,Chile and China.Interestingly,it wasused by Romans and Greeks for making pale complexion.(Anshul et.al.,2014).It is also used as

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flavoring agent in commercial foods.The seeds are sprinkled over cakes and breads.The oil extractedby steam distillation is used in deserts.The fragrant compounds are used in creams,lotions etc.

Botanical Interpretation:It is a dried seeds of plantCuminum cyminum L.of Apiaceae family which is known as parsleyfamily or collection of typically aromatic family.Seeds of cumin are resemble to caraway seeds,plantof Umbellifereae family commonly known as Persian cumin or Meridian fennel(Anshul et.al.,2014)

Scientific Classification of Cumin

Kingdom Plantae

Subkingdom Tracheobionta

Superdivision Spermatophyta

Division Magnoliophyta

Class Magnoliopsida

Subclass Rosidae

Order Apiales

Family Apiaceae

Genus Cuminum

Species cyminum

Description of cumin plants:Fruits:The fruits of cumin are ovate or fusiform, of a light brown or grayish color. The fruit

resembles caraway, but is larger and about 2 lines in length, much longer than the pedicels, nearlytapering, but little contracted at the sides, fusiform, crowned by the short teeth of the calyx,denselycovered with short rough hair upon the channels, and less densely upon the ridges, which are paler,filiform, and a little raised; The seeds or half fruits, 2 in number, are oblong; Plano convex, with theplane surfaces together (L.).The odor and taste of cumin fruit is similar to caraway, but it’s sowarmer and not so agreeable.

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Seeds: The cumin seed is yellow to brownish-gray in color and is elongated in shape withnine protuberances that possesses numerous medicinal properties. The seeds of cumin arecarminative, aromatic,stomachic, stimulant, astringent and cooling and synergistic in effect.

Cultivation:It is one of the known cash crop of India. Cultivation of cumin requires fertile, well-drained

soil with temperature 25°C-28°C. Seeds are sown in the first week of November and harvestedin first week of March. Marketing of cumin starts in the month of April-May. In Gujarat, cuminvariety Gujarat Cumin-1 and Gujarat Cumin-2 is cultivated ,harvested and marketed. (Hajlaouietal.2010)

Cumin seed oil is used as multifunctional luminescent paints or in topical ointment.Table 4showing active component and uses of members of Apiaceae family.

Figure: 1 Cumin seeds

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Biological name Common name Active constituents uses

Carum carvi

Caraway seed,

caraway fruit,

persian cumin,

meridian fennel

Carvone, limonene

carvacrol,

a-pinene, g-terpinene,

linalool,

carvenone, and p-

cymene

Antispasmodic,

antiseptic,

antiparasitic,

lactigenic,

hypolipidemic,

aromatic,

carminative,

digestive, stomach-

calming and stimulant

Cuminum cyminum,

Cumin, Jeera Safed

jeeraa

b-pinene, p-cymene,

g-terpinene, and

cuminaldehyde

Carminative,

eupeptic, astringent,

antibacterial, cough

remedy and

analgesic

Foeniculum vulgare

Sweet cumin, sweet

fennel

Anethole, α-pinene,

β-myrcene, β-pinene,

fenchone,

camphene, estragole,

fenchone,

limonene, p-cymen,

and safrole

Carminative, cold,

cough and cattle

condiment

Table: 4 Appearance and properties of the Apiaceae family members

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expression.This activity is due to cuminaldehye.Streptococcus mutans was inhibited by biofilmformation preventive properties of limonene,pineneand other minor components.Antifungal activitiesof cumin were reported against various soil,food and human pathogens.

3.Anticarcinogenic Activity:Cumin oil possess potential anticarcinogenic activity.(Nalini N,2006) From a study carried

out on rat with dietary supplementation of cumin was found to prevent the occurrence of rat coloncancer induced by mutagen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine(DMH).This leads to increase in excretion ofbileacid and the decrease in activity of â-glucuronidase that causes the hydrolysis of glucuronideand produce toxins and mucinase enzyme that increases the hydrolysis of mucins in colon bydietary supplementation of cumin to mice inhibits the benzopyrene induced forestomachtumorigenesis,hepatomas etc.Cumin attributes the ability of modulating carcinogen metabolism byphase I and phase II metabolizing enzymes.the property of cumin is due to the presence ofmonoterpenes like anethofluran,carvone and limonene.with the anticarcinogenic property,cumindo have apoptotic,antimutagenic and antiproliferative properties.

4. Immunomodulatory Activity:In one of the dose dependent study,the oral treatment with cumin showed immunomodulatory

activity in mormal and immunosuppressed animals by modulating T-lymphocytes,T-cells i.e.CD4+

and CD8+ ,Th1 cytokines expression in normal an cyclosporine-A in immunosuppressedanimals(Chauhan PS,2010)In these animals,cumin compounds counters the depleted T-lymphocytes,decreases the weight of thymus and spleen.

5.Anti-Osteoporotic Activity:Various researches has reported the anti-osteoporotic activity of cumin seeds.(Malini been

reported that cumin seeds reduces the urinary calcium excretion and leads to the augmentation ofcalcium.This increases the mechanical strength of bones.

6.Gastrointestinal:An aqueous extract of cumin was perfused in aspirin induced gastric mucosal injury of the rat

leads to increase in the secreation of acid that heals the injury and prevent the reoccurring.Cuminextracts also increases the amylase,protease,lipases and phytaseactivities.(Johri RK,2011)

7.Drug Bioavailability Enhancing Activity:A pharmacokinetics interaction of herbal plants with various anti-tubercular drugs has reveal

that the aqueous extract of cumin leads to the enhancement of rifampicin levels in rat plasma.it isdue the unique novel component of cumin known as flavonoid glycoside.(Sachin BS,2009)

Traditional Uses of Cumin asa Medicine:Cumin has been used from ancient times for healing the unhealthy body and making body

healthy.It is a very good source of Iron that helps in transport of oxygen to all the cells of body.Itincreases the efficiency of nutrient absorption.it helps in relieving abdominal pain,muscles crampsand flatulence.It increases the milk production of mother during lactation period.it has culinary

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uses and it is an essential ingredient in all mixed spices for flavoring of soups,pickles,breadsetcAroma Portrayal of Cumin:Cuminaldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde)is the major component of volatile essential oil of

cumin which imparts strong ,pungent,spicy odor to cumin.the other componds are substitutedpyrazines,2-ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine ,â-pinene and ã-terpines.Conclusion

In short,it can be said that cumin is not only an important spices but also an important medicinaland aromatic plant.It is used as a flavoring agent in food and beverages industry.It is having variouspharmacological activities that can make body healthy and heal various disorders efficiently.It hasbeen used since ancient era but still it is a hidden chapter for the reseachers for various hiddenactivities of cumin as a drug.ReferencesAggarwal, B. B. and Kunnumakkara, A. B. (2009).Molecular Targets and Therapeutic Uses ofSpices - Modern Uses for Ancient Medicine. World Scientific Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. Singapore,430 p [Different chapters written by experts compiling therapeutic uses of spices of selectedspices, fenugreek in the present case]AICRPS (2010). All India Coordinated Research Project on Spices, 2009. Annual Report 2009-10. Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut.131pp.Al-Hashemi FHY.( 2014) Chromatographic separation and identification of some volatile oils,organic acids and phenols from the seeds of cuminum cyminum growing in Iraq. IJRRAS; 19(1):80 -90.AnshulBansal, VaibhavBansal, Rajeshwar Singh (2014) Cumin: A spice or a drug? World Journalof Pharmaceutical Sciences, ISSN (Print): 2321-3310Bukhari SB, Iqbal S, Bhangar MI (2009). Antioxidant potential of commercially available cumin(CuminumcyminumLinn.). International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition;60: 240-247.Chauhan PS, Satti NK, Suri KA, Amina M, Bani S. (2010)Stimulatory effects of Cuminumcyminum and flavonoid glycoside on cyclosporine-A and restraint stressinduced immune-suppression in swiss albino mice. Chem Biol Interac 185: 66-72.Derakhshan S, Sattari M, Bigdeli M.(2008) Effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of cumin(Cuminum cyminum L.) seed essential oil and alcoholic extract on the morphology, capsuleexpression and urease activity of Klebsiella pneumoniae. International Journal of AntimicrobialAgents;32: 432-436.El-Ghorab AH, Nauman M, Anjum FM, Hussain S, Nadeem M (2010).A comparative study onchemical composition and antioxidant activity ofginger (Zingiber officinale) and cumin (Cuminumcyminum). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry;58: 8231-8233.El-Sawi SA, Mohamed MA (2002). Cumin herb as a new source of essential oils and its responseto foliar spray with some micro-nutrients. Food Chemistry,;77: 75-80.

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Hajlaoui H, Mighri H, Noumi E, Snoussi M, Trabelsi N, Ksouri R. (2010) Chemicalcompositionand biological activities of Tunisian Cuminum cyminum L. essential oil: A high effectiveness againstVibrio spp. strains. Food Chem Toxicol;48: 2186-92.Kitazima J, Ishikawa T, Fujimatu E, Kondho K, Takayanagi T. (2003)Glycosides of 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol from the fruits of anise, corianderand cumin. Phytochemistry ;62: 115-120.Nalini N, Manju V, Menon VP. (2006) Effect of spices on lipid metabolism in 1, 2-dimeth-ylhydrazine-induced rat colon carcinogenesis. J Med Food 9: 237-45.Rakotonirainy MS, Lavédrine B.(2005) Screening for antifungal activity of essential oils and relatedcompounds to control the biocontamination in libraries and archives storage areas. InternationalBiodeterioration and Biodegradation. ;55(2):141–147.Rebey IB, Jabri-Karoui I, Hamrouni-Sellami I, Bourgou S, Limam F, Marzouk B.( 2012)Effectof drought on the biochemical composition and antioxidant activities of cumin (Cuminum cyminumL.) seeds. Industrial Crops and Products 36:238-245.Romagnoli C, Andreotti E, Maietti S, Mahendra R, Mares D. (2010)Antifungal activity of essentialoil from fruits of Indian Cuminumcyminum. Pharmaceutical Biology;48: 834-848Sachin BS, Monica P, Sharma SC, Satti NK, Tikoo MK, Tikoo AK. (2009)Pharmacokineticinteraction of some antitubercular drugs with caraway: Implications in the enhancement of drugbioavailability. Hum Exp Toxicol 28: 175–84.Shetty RS, Singhal RS, Kulkarni PR(1994). Antimicrobial properties of cumin. World Journal ofMicrobiology and Biotechnology,;10:232-233Zaman U, Abbasi A.(2009) Isolation, purification and characterization of a nonspecific lipid transferprotein from Cuminumcyminum. Phytochemistry,;70: 979-987

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