Jiraka – Best digestant and appetite stimulator.
Jiraka (cumin seeds) is one of the best digestant. It is cultivated in the northern parts of India. It has got immense therapeutic uses in the digestive system. Cuminum cyminum or the jiraka fruit is long and yellowish in colour. It improves appetite. Also helps in improving taste and memory.
Pharmacological Actions
- Appetizer
- Digestant
- Carminative
- Astringent
- Analgesic
- Blood purifier
- Diuretic
- Galactogogue
- Antiseptic
- Anti-inflammatory.
Therapeutic uses of Jiraka
- Fever (jwara) – A paste is prepared with cumin which should be taken with jaggery or honey. Then make the patient drink butter milk and sit in sun till he/she sweats. Fever will subside (Shodala nighantu).
- Hyper acidity (amla pitta) – Make a paste of jiraka(Cuminum cyminum) and dhanyaka(Coriander sativum). Then add it to 640 gm of ghee and cook well. It is administered internally. It can also be taken in anorexia( aruci) for reduced appetite.
- Hiccups – Cumin seeds are kept in chillam and smoked.
- Nausea – During pregnancy, seeds are grounded and mixed with lime juice and given.
- Colic Pain – Intake of cumin water. The carminative property of jeeraka is believed to be useful in colicky pains.
- Scorpion stings – Powdered seeds are mixed with honey, salt and ghee and applied on scorpion stings to relieve pain.
- Running nose – Intake of decoction of jiraka with vinegar. It is good for body pain, cold, running nose etc.
- Flatus – Intake of cumin water. It increases digestive ability and destroy flatulence.
- Vomiting – Intake of jiraka, sauvarcala salt, sugar and pepper which is mixed with honey helps in stopping vomiting.