Med. Also casumunar, -muniar, casmunar. [app. a corruption of some eastern name.] The tuberous root of an East Indian plant (apparently Curcuma aromatica Salisb., C. Zedoaria Roxb.); it is warm, bitter and aromatic, smells like ginger, and is used in hysterical, epileptic and paralytic affections. (Cf. ZEDOARY.)
1693. Pechey (title), Some Observations made upon the Root Casmunar, brought from the East Indies.
1700. Sloane, in Phil. Trans., XXII. 580. A root … made great use of … in Epileptic, Convulsive and Head diseases … called Cassumuniar.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 92. Casamunar is lately come into use.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., App., Cassumniar … a root approaching to the nature of zeodary.
1885. Dymock, Veg. Mat. Med. of Ind., 770. Identical with the Cassumunar described by Pereira.
