Annual Herb 35-50cm tall, branching at the top, stem green, round, hairy, 2-5 mm diam, internodes 2-5 cm long: leaves alternate, Pinnate, Lower leaves small, Petioled, upper leaves sessible, 6-10 cm ling pinnae irregularly lobed, globules on the upper surface, hairy beneath and on the rachis; flower regular bisexual and pale blue in colour, terminal on brances, white or greenish white, about 3 cm diameter. But it occasionally found as a weed of cultivation or cultivated in Punjab, Himalyan pradesh, Bihar etc.,

Seeds contain an yellowish volatile oil, an essential oil, a fixed oil, melanthine resembling helleborin, ash and arbic acid, volatile oil and fatty oil is the active constituents. Nigellone is isolated from essential oil, cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, B sitaorsterol and spinasterol isolated from the seed oil.

Seeds are aromatic, Duretic, Diaphoretic, Antibilious, Stomachic, Stimulant, carminative, Digestive, Antihelminitic and also emmenagogue. Locally oil is anaesthetic, alactagogue, Emollient and aphrodisiac.

1. A sample from the lot is obtained and analysed for the above specifications if it conforms, it is approved, if it does not conform it is rejected.
   
2. After delivery of the Raw Materials, a Sample from the lot is obtained and compared with the approved sample.
   
3. If the lot sample and the approved sample are equal then the goods are accepted otherwise it is rejected.