Black Cumin

The countries where the Ayurvedic system of medicine is recognized and practiced the powdered dried seed of N. sativa, referred to as upakuncika in Sanskrit, is used as a component of preparations for treating abdominal distention with gas, diarrhea, and other stomach ailments.

The primary constituents in N. sativa seed are fatty oils (30-35%), mainly glycerol esters of linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids, and aliphatic hydrocarbons, arachidonic acid (0.01-0.4%), γ-linolenic acid (0.1-1%), and tocopherols (about 170 mg/kg).

The seed also contains essential oil (0.4-2.5%), which is composed mainly of monoterpenes, including p-cymene, thymoquinone, a-pinene, and carvacrol.