Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Jeeraka

Cuminum cyminum L.

Jeeraka (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. Not listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized in multiple national pharmacopoeias; FDA GRAS status; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia documents both Shweta (white) and Krishna (black) Jeeraka.

Key facts
Botanical nameCuminum cyminum L.
FamilyApiaceae (Umbelliferae) · other entries in this family
OrderApiales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized in multiple national pharmacopoeias; FDA GRAS status; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia documents both Shweta (white) and Krishna (black) Jeeraka
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3034775 · Wikidata Q132624 · NCBI Taxonomy 52462

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishJeeraka
Latin/BotanicalCuminum cyminum L.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Antidiabetic mechanism through cuminaldehyde-mediated inhibition of alpha-glucosidase enzyme and enhancement of insulin secretion, with improvement of peripheral glucose disposal
  • Antimicrobial mechanism through cuminaldehyde disruption of bacterial membrane permeability and synergistic enhancement of conventional antibiotics (vancomycin, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin)
  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism through inhibition of NF-kB pathway activation and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6), mediated by cuminaldehyde and flavonoid constituents

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Digestive and carminative properties extensively validated through clinical studies, confirming premier Ayurvedic use as Deepaniya (appetizer) and Pachaniya (digestive) herb
  • Antidiabetic activity validated through clinical trials showing improvement in glycemic parameters, confirming traditional use in metabolic disorders
  • Hypolipidemic effects validated through clinical studies showing reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides, supporting traditional cardiovascular applications

What do recent clinical trials show?

2 further claims previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and have been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Widely consumed spice with GRAS status and excellent safety profile at culinary doses; concentrated cumin oil may cause photosensitivity in some individuals
  • High-dose cuminaldehyde supplementation may interact with antidiabetic and anticoagulant medications; fertility effects have been reported in animal studies at very high doses; standard dietary consumption is safe

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Cuminaldehyde
  • Safranal
  • Cuminol
  • Flavonoids
  • Apigenin
  • Luteolin
  • Magnesium
  • Gamma-terpinene
  • Beta-pinene
  • P-cymene

Analytical Methods: HPLC fingerprinting, TLC (identity), LC-MS/MS (marker quantification)

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Capsule, Tablet, Essential oil, Jeerakadyarishta (fermented preparation), Kashayam (decoction), Arka (distillate)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder daily (culinary use); 300-600mg extract twice daily; 15-30ml Arishta; 15-30ml Arka

Bioavailability: Cuminum cyminum (cumin) contains cuminaldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde) as primary volatile marker with rapid oral absorption (Tmax ~1 hour). Cuminaldehyde bioavailability ~50-60%. Flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin) have moderate bioavailability. Cumin enhances bioavailability of co-administered drugs/herbs via CYP modulation and increased GI motility. Essential oil components readily absorbed via GI tract and inhalation.

Optimal Timing: After meals for digestive support; Jeerakadyarishta after meals with equal water

Standardized Extract: Essential oil standardized to minimum 40% cuminaldehyde; hydroalcoholic extract standardized to 1% cuminaldehyde and 2% total polyphenols; CO2 extract for flavor applications

Shelf Life: 2 years (whole seeds); 1 year (ground powder); 3 years (essential oil, sealed); 3 years (Arishta); 3 years (capsule/tablet)

Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C. Whole seeds far more stable than ground. Ground cumin in nitrogen-flushed or vacuum-packed containers. Essential oil in amber glass.

Marker Compounds: Cuminaldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde), Cuminol, Gamma-terpinene, Beta-pinene, p-Cymene, Apigenin, Luteolin

Extraction Methods

  • Steam distillation (essential oil, 2-5% yield)
  • Supercritical CO2 extraction
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (70:30) for phenolic-enriched extract
  • Aqueous decoction (traditional Jeeraka Kashayam)
  • Fermentation (Jeerakadyarishta - classical Ayurvedic preparation)

Synergistic Combinations

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses4

  1. Tavakoli-Rouzbehani OM, Faghfouri AH, Anbari M and others. 2022. Efficacy of Cuminum Cyminum supplementation on lipid profile and anthropometric parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trialsPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 34825421 · doi:10.1002/ptr.7327
  2. Tavakoli-Rouzbehani OM, Faghfouri AH, Anbari M and others. 2021. The effects of Cuminum cyminum on glycemic parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trialsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 34371114 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114510
  3. Karimian J, Farrokhzad A, Jalili C. 2021. The effect of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) supplementation on glycemic indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 33720457 · doi:10.1002/ptr.7075
  4. Hadi A, Mohammadi H, Hadi Z and others. 2018. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a safe approach for management of lipid parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 30088304 · doi:10.1002/ptr.6162

Other clinical studies and reviews6

  1. Singh N, Yadav SS, Kumar S and others. 2021. A review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical research of dietary spice Cuminum cyminum LPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 33893678 · doi:10.1002/ptr.7133
  2. Khan AU, Akram M, Daniyal M and others. 2020. Awareness and current knowledge of epilepsyMetabolic brain disease. PMID 31605258 · doi:10.1007/s11011-019-00494-1
  3. Shakeri F, Ghorani V, Saadat S and others. 2019. The Stimulatory Effects of Medicinal Plants on β2-adrenoceptors of Tracheal Smooth MuscleIranian journal of allergy, asthma, and immunology. PMID 30848570
  4. Mnif S, Aifa S. 2015. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) from traditional uses to potential biomedical applicationsChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 26010662 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.201400305
  5. Sowbhagya HB. 2013. Chemistry, technology, and nutraceutical functions of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L): an overviewCritical reviews in food science and nutrition. PMID 23035918 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2010.500223
  6. 2006. Cumin PMID 30000933

Laboratory and animal studies2

  1. Yang X, Chen Y, Liu W and others. 2024. Combined transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyse the response of Cuminum cyminum L. under Pb stressThe Science of the total environment. PMID 38453091 · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171497
  2. Tabarsa M, You S, Yelithao K and others. 2020. Isolation, structural elucidation and immuno-stimulatory properties of polysaccharides from Cuminum cyminumCarbohydrate polymers. PMID 31887877 · doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115636

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.