Caraway

Botanical name: Carum carvi

Parts used and where grown

Caraway is a biennial that is widely cultivated throughout the world, and is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The dried ripe fruit or seeds are used medicinally.¹

Caraway has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):

Science Ratings	Health Concerns
	Irritable bowel syndrome (combination with peppermint oil)
	Gingivitis (periodontal disease) (as mouthwash, in combination with sage, peppermint oil, menthol, chamomile tincture, expressed juice from echinacea, myrrh tincture, and clove oil) Indigestion
	Colic
Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit. Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit. For a herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support and/or minimal health benefit.

Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies)

The use of caraway as a medicinal agent has remained unchanged for centuries. Its use as a digestive aid was first mentioned in the Egyptian Eberus Papyrus about 1500 B.C.² In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, the character Falstaff is invited to have a serving of baked apples and caraway to aid the digestion and relieve wind.³ Nineteenth-century American Eclectic physicians (doctors who recommended herbs), such as Harvey Felter, pointed out the seeds not only promote digestion but also ease the symptoms of children suffering from digestive colic.⁴

Active constituents

Caraway contains 3–7% volatile oil, with the main components divided into carvone (50–60%) and limonene (40%).⁵ The fruit also contains approximately 10% fixed oil along with 20% carbohydrate and 20% protein. Caraway belongs to a class of herbs called carminatives, which are plants helpful in easing gastro-intestinal discomfort, including wind. The volatile oils derived from this group of plants may help alleviate bowel spasm.⁶

There are no human clinical trials on caraway as a single entity. However, it has been used with success in combination with enteric-coated peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).⁷ ⁸ People using this combination reported experiencing less pain and noted an overall improvement in their bowel symptoms compared to those who took a comparable placebo. A combination of caraway with the other carminative herbs anise and fennel has shown to be helpful in dealing with conditions of flatulence and mild abdominal cramping, especially in children.⁹

How much is usually taken?

Use approximately 1/4–1/2 teaspoon (0.5–2 grams) of powdered caraway fruit to make tea; drink it three times a day. Tinctures of the extracted herb (0.5–4 ml) are sometimes used three times per day. The enteric-coated volatile oil (0.05–0.2 ml) can be taken three times daily (usually in combination with enteric-coated peppermint oil) for irritable bowel syndrome.¹⁰

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Caraway is generally safe for internal use. However, the purified volatile oil should not be used by children under two years of age, as oil from caraway and other herbs in the Umbelliferae family can be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes.¹¹ Large amounts of the oil (several times higher than the dosages listed above) may be potentially abortifacient and neurotoxic and should be avoided, especially by pregnant women.

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with caraway.

References

1. Wren RC. Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparation. Essex, England: CW Daniel Co., 1985, 59–60.

2. Castleman M. The Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1991, 95–6.

3. Grieve M. A Modern Herbal, vol I. New York: Dover Publications, 1982, 157.

4. Castleman M. The Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1991, 95–6.

5. Wichtl M. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1994, 128–9.

6. Schulz V, Hänsel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy, 3rd ed. Berlin, Germany: Springer Verlag, 1998, 180.

7. Freise J, Köhler S. Peppermint oil/caraway oil—fixed combination in non-ulcer dyspepsia: equivalent efficacy of the drug combination in an enteric coated or enteric soluble formula. Pharmazie 1999;54:210–5.

8. May B, Kuntz HD, Kieser M, Kohler S. Efficacy of a fixed peppermint oil/caraway oil combination in non-ulcer dyspepsia. Arzneimittel-Forsch 1996;46:1149–53.

9. Schilcher H. Phytotherapy in Paediatrics, 2nd ed. Stuttgart, Germany: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1997, 49.

10. British Herbal Medicine Association. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Part II. West Yorks, England: BHMA Publishers, 1979, 23–5.

11. Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Edinburgh: Churchill-Livingston, 1995, 115.

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The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.