zi ran, cumin,Complementary and Alternative Healing University

zi ran 孜然 (in English and Chinese)

by: Joe Hing kwok Chu 朱興國編譯

Pharmaceutical name:

英文藥名﹕

Fructus Cumini

Botanical name:

學名﹕

Cuminum cyminum L.

Pron. in Japanese:

日語發音﹕

ba kin , ma kin, (馬芹）

Pron. in Korean:

韓語發音﹕

Pron. in Cantonese:

粵音﹕

zi1 jin4

Other Names:

別名﹕

maqin 馬芹， alabo hui xiang 阿拉伯茴香，anxi hui xiang 安息茴香。

Common Name:

外文名﹕

English: Cumin

French: cumin, cumin blanc, cumin du Maroc, faux anis

German: Kreuzkümmel, Weißer Kreuzkümmel, Römischer Kümmel, Mutterkümmel

Spanish: comino, comino blanco

Indonesian/Malay: jintan putih

Hindi: jira, jeera, saphed jira

Urdu: zira

Distribution:

產地﹕

Largest production and cultivating area is in India. The Chinese variety is produced in Xinjiang; also being cultivated in Taiwan.

印度產量與種植地最大。在中國産於新疆。台灣有栽培。

Properties

(characteristics)﹕

性味﹕

sweet, acrid, warm, non-toxic.

甘，辛，溫，無毒。

Channels (meridians) entered:

歸經﹕

liver, kidney, large intestine.

肝，腎，大腸。

Medical functions:

藥理﹕

anti-fungal effect [2]

contraceptive effect in male rats [3]

抗真菌作用【2】

避孕作用-對雄性大鼠有避孕作用【3】

Actions & Indications:

主治 ﹕

expels coldness and rid of fungal infection of digestive tract, promotes digestion, arrests pain.

Being used in weak digestion, cold stomach with pain,kidney deficient with frequent urination.

祛寒除濕，理氣開胃，祛風止痛。用於消化不良、胃寒疼痛、腎虛便頻。

Chemical ingredients:

化學成份﹕

Fruit contains:	果實中含：
apigenin-5-O-glucopyranoside	芹菜素-5-O-吡喃葡萄糖甙
apigenin-7-O-glucopyranoside	芹菜素-7-O-吡喃葡萄糖甙
teolin-7-O- glucopyranoside	木犀草素-7-O-吡喃葡萄糖甙
Evaporating oil of Fruit 2%-5%:	果實中還含揮發油2%-5%：
p-cymol	對-聚傘花素
α、β-pinene	α、β-蒎烯
cumin alcohol	枯醇
cuminaldehyde (cuminal)	枯醛
α、β-phellandrene	α、β-水芹烯
perillaldehylde	紫蘇醛
α-terpineol	α-鬆油醇
syringol	丁香酚
myrcene	月桂烯
α、γ-terpinene	α、γ-鬆油烯
limonene	檸檬烯
cineole	桉葉素
p-menth-3-al	對-3-孟烯-7-醛
1，3-p-menthadien-7al	1，3-對-二烯-7-醛
1，4-p-men-thadien-7-al	1，4-對-孟二烯-7-醛
geranial	香葉醛
phellanral	水芹醛
caryophyllene	丁香烯
β-farnesene	β-金合歡烯
β-bisabo-lene	β-甜沒藥烯
dipentene	二戊烯
Fat in the seed includes:	種子脂類成分含
neutrallipids 84.8%	中性脂類 84.8%
gly-colipds 10.1%	糖脂10.1%
phospholipids 5.1%:	磷脂5.1%:
phosphatidylethanolamine	磷脂酰已醇胺
phosphatidylcholine	磷脂酰膽鹼
small amount of △5,6-octadecenoic acid	少量△5，6-十八碳烯酸
Seed contains crude protein containing 18 kinds of amino acid, among them 8 essential	種子含粗蛋白:內有18種氨基酸，其中8種為必需氨基酸
Also contains 14 glycosides:	還含有14種黃酮甙;
7 of them are apigenin	其中7種甙元為芹菜素
5 of the aglycones are luteolin	5種甙元為木犀草素
chrysoeriol	2種甙元為金聖草素
Potassium, sodium, chlorine, iron, manganese, chromium, rubidium, bromine, copper, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, barium, lithium, silicon, titanium	鉀、鈉、氯、鐵、錳、鉻、銣、溴，銅、鎳、鈷，鋁、鋇、鋰、硅、鈦
choline	膽鹼

Dosage:

用量﹕

Taking orally, in decoction 3 to 9 g.

External application: use appropriate amount. Grind into powder make into paste and apply.

內服，煎湯：3～9 克。外用適量，研末調敷。

Samples of formulae:
處方舉例﹕

Modern Research:

現代研究﹕

In one study, the essential oil of the seeds 3.8%. 97.97% of the oil, were :Cuminal (36.31%), cuminic alcohol (16.92%), γ-terpinene (11.14%), safranal (10.87%), p-cymene (9.85%) and β-pinene (7.75%) were the major components.[1]

在一個研究中，中國孜然種子含揮發油 3.8％。 97.97％的揮發油，分別為：枯敬醛（36.31％），枯醇（16.92％），γ-鬆油烯（11.14％），藏紅花醛（10.87％），對傘花烴（9.85％），β-蒎烯（7.75％）為主要組成部分 [1]。

Toxicity & Cautions:

毒素與禁忌﹕

Those who are yinxu with fire or those with constipation or with hemorrhoids should use with care.

This herb may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with blood thinning drugs, such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin©) or heparin.

Use with caution when using anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix©), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Motrin©, Advil©) or naproxen (Naprosyn©, Aleve©).

This herb may reduce blood sugar levels. Use with caution when using medications that may also lower blood sugar. Patients taking drugs for diabetes should be monitored closely and medication adjustments may be necessary.

This herb may lower cholesterol. Caution is advised when using medications that may also lower cholesterol.

This herb may interact with narcotic pain relievers, antibiotics, anti-fungal drugs, and drugs that affect hormones.

孜然可能會增加抗凝血素藥物的作用，如：阿司匹林，華法林或肝素；可能會有出血的危險。
當使用抗血小板藥物如氯吡格雷（波立維），和非甾體抗炎藥（NSAIDs），如布洛芬（美林，布洛芬）或萘普生，須小心使用。
孜然可能會降低血糖水平。使用低血糖的藥物時，須小心使用。如服用孜然，應密切監測血糖和可能必要調整藥物。

孜然可以降低膽固醇。使用藥物降低膽固醇時應密切監測膽固醇。必要時，須調整藥物。

孜然可能與麻醉止痛藥，抗生素，抗真菌劑和影響激素類藥物相互作用。

陰虚火旺或便秘，痔瘡患者慎服。

Reference: 《Zhong Hua Materia Medica 中華本草》

[1] Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 19: 311–313. doi: 10.1002/ffj.1302　 [2] Indian J Dent Res. 2010 Jul-Sep;21(3):334-6.

[3] Contraception. 2011 Jul;84(1):98-107. Epub 2011 Feb 16.