Cumin - medicinal properties and contraindications

Cumin Common (Latin Cárum cárvi) is a two-year herbaceous plant with elongated ribbed seeds, which have a characteristic bitter-spicy taste and odor. Cumin fruits are used primarily as a spice, but they have a number of medicinal properties, in the first place - they have a beneficial effect on digestion.

For medicinal purposes, black caraway seeds (black cherry, black coriander, lat. Nigēlla satīva), which, despite the name "cumin", is a completely different plant are used more often. The fruits of this cumin are small black trihedral, wrinkly bumpy, have a sharp taste and smell. Widely used in the culinary arts of eastern countries, folk medicine, perfumes.

Therapeutic properties and contraindications of cumin

Seeds of cumin contain from 3 to 7% of essential oil, up to 22% of various fatty oils, as well as vitamins, minerals, protein and tannins, flavonoids and coumarins.

The list of medicinal properties of cumin seeds is large enough:

1. Cumin is beneficial for intestinal peristalsis, stimulates appetite, digestion and bile secretion, helps to eliminate bloating and flatulence , relieves spasms of smooth muscles of the intestine.
2. Has an antispasmodic and expectorant effect, which is used in the composition of various charges from cough.
3. Has strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties, due to which it is used both for the treatment of intestinal infections and externally, with skin rashes.
4. Used in the treatment of cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, with inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract.
5. Has a restorative and antioxidant effect.

Cumin, like any other natural bitterness, can not be used for gastritis with high acidity , peptic ulcer. It is contraindicated in cases of coronary heart disease, thrombophlebitis, after a heart attack. In addition, it should be noted that cumin can be a strong allergen.

Therapeutic properties and contraindications of black cumin

Seeds of black cumin contain fatty oils (up to 44%, including a large number of unsaturated fatty acids), essential oils (up to 1.5%), minerals and trace elements (primarily iron, calcium, phosphorus), melantin glycoside.

Among the medicinal properties of seeds of black cumin, one should first of all note the strongly pronounced antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. In folk medicine, black cumin oil is used to combat various inflammatory skin diseases, and in cosmetology it is considered to be an indispensable ingredient in the preparation of masks from acne. Used as an antidote, to relieve soreness and inflammation with insect bites.

Also, black cumin has analgesic, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, immunostimulating and restorative action, it has a beneficial effect on blood circulation, cleanses blood vessels, promotes the excretion of cholesterol and toxins from the body, improves digestion, promotes the normalization of metabolic processes (including blood sugar levels). In addition, it is believed that black cumin and preparations based on it have an antitumor effect and can be used as a supporting agent and for the prevention of cancer.

Contraindicated use of this herbal remedy during pregnancy and allergic reactions. Unlike ordinary cumin, black does not have such a pronounced irritant effect on the digestive tract, but with gastritis its use is still not recommended.