Botanical Name
Nigella sativa L.
Family
Ranunculaceae.
Synonyms
Nigella sativa var. brachyloba Boiss., Nigella sativa var. hispidula Boiss., Nigella cretica Mill.
Regional Name
English : Small Fennel, Nigella Seed, Hindi :Kalaunji, Mangaraila, Sanskrit :Sthulajiraka, Upakunci, Susavi, Urdu :Kalongi, Punjabi :Kalvanji, Bengali :MotaKalajira, Kalajira, Gujrati :Kalonjijeeru, Kalounji, Kannada :Karijirige, Kashmiri : Kath, Malayalam :Karinjirakam, Marathi :Kalaunjijire, Kalejire, Tamil :Karunjeerakam, Karunjiragam, Telugu :Peddajilakarra.
Part Used
Seeds.
Description
Kalaunji is a small herb, 45 -60 cm high, mostly cultivated in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Assam. Seeds are flattened, oblong, angular, rugulose tubercular, small, funnel shaped, 0.2 cm. long and 0.1 cm. wide, black, odour, slightly aromatic, taste, bitter.
Phytoconstituents
Essential oil, Fixed oil, Volatile oil, Resin, Alkaloid, Saponin and Tannin, Protein, Vitamins, Carbohydrates, mineral elements, fats, essential amino acids. Fixed oil 32-40 % (arachidonic, eicosadienoic, linoleic, linolenic, oleic, almitoleic, palmitic, stearic and myristic acid). Volatile oil (0.4-0.45 %) contains –nigellone, Thymoquinone (TQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ), dithymoquinone, thymol, carvone, carvacrol, α and β-pinene, d-limonene, d-citronellol, p-cymene. Alkaloid contains-nigellicimine, nigellicimine n-oxide and pyrazol alkaloid that includes: nigellone, nigellidine and nigellicine.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa :Katu, Tikta, Guna :Laghu, Ruksa, Vipaka :Katu, Virya: Usna, Karma :Caksusya, Dipana, Garbhasayavisodhana, Hrdya, Krmighna, Medhya, Pacana, Pittala, Rucya, Sangrahi, Vatakaphapaha.
Ayurvedic Applications
Atisara, Adhmana, Gulma, Krmiroga.
Medicinal Uses
Kalaunji seed is recommended for a treatment of fever, cough, bronchitis, asthma, chronic headache, migraine, dizziness, chest congestion, dysmenorrhea, obesity, diabetes, paralysis, hemiplagia, back pain, infection, allergies, Psoriasis, inflammation, rheumatism, arthritis, hypertension, and gastrointestinal problems such as dyspepsia, flatulence, dysentery, and diarrhoea. It is used as a stimulant, diuretic, emmenagogue, lactagogue, anthelmintic, and carminative.