Cumin seeds form an ingredient of some curry powders and pickles used by the natives. They are regarded as stomachic, carminative, astringent and useful in dyspepsia, diarrhoea, etc. A confection of cumin seeds is prepared as follows:

* Anethum is reduced by Drs. Hooker and Bentham to Peucedanum.

Jirakadi modaka. Take of the three myrobalans, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), watery extract of gulancha, prepared talc, flowers of Mesua ferrea (nagakesara), leaves called tejapatra, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, coriander, ginger, long pepper, Ol-denlandia herbacea (parpati), root of Andropogon muricatum (usira), Pavonia odorata (bάlά), and Plumbago Zeylanica (chitraka), each one part, cumin seed, nineteen parts or equal in weight to all the other ingredients; powder them all and mix. Add two parts of sugar to one of the powder and make into a confection with honey and clarified butter. Dose, one drachm. This medicine is prescribed in chronic diarrhoea and dyspepsia with loss of appetite.

Jirakadya taila.1 Take of powdered cumin seeds, eight tolas, minium or red lead, four tolas, prepared mustard oil three seers, water twelve seers, boil them together in the usual way for the preparation of medicinal oils. This oil is used in eczema.

A poultice made of cumin seeds, with the addition of honey, salt and clarified butter, is recommended to be applied to scorpion bites.2