AskTried or prescribed Caraway? Share your experience.
|
I'm a professional and |
|
| 0 people have tried Caraway | 0 people have prescribed Caraway |
What is Caraway Used for Today?
Only double-blind , placebo-controlled studies can prove a treatment effective, and thus far such studies have not been performed on caraway alone. (For more information on why such studies are essential, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies? ) However, a few double-blind studies have been reported on combination products containing caraway oil for the treatment of dyspepsia (non-specific stomach distress).
For example, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 39 people found that an enteric-coated peppermint oil and caraway oil combination taken three times daily by mouth for 4 weeks significantly reduced dyspepsia pain as compared to placebo. 1 Of the treatment group, 63.2% of participants were pain-free after 4 weeks, compared to 25% of the placebo group. In other double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, a combination of caraway, bitter candytuft, feverfew , peppermint leaves , licorice root , and lemon balm also proved effective for dyspepsia. 2
Double-blind comparative studies have also been reported. One such study of 118 people found that the combination of peppermint and caraway oil was about as effective as the standard drug cisapride (a drug used for dyspepsia that is no longer available). 3 After 4 weeks, the herbal combination reduced dyspepsia pain by 69.7%, whereas the conventional treatment reduced pain by 70.2%. Finally, a preparation of peppermint, caraway, fennel, and wormwood oil was compared to the drug metoclopramide in a double-blind study enrolling 60 people. 4 After 7 days, 43.3% of the treatment group was pain-free, compared to 13.3% of the metoclopramide group.
Far weaker evidence hints that caraway extracts may have anti-cancer , 5 antibacterial, 6 and antidiabetic 7 actions. However, the evidence for these potential benefits is far too weak to rely on.
Caraway oil is said to be helpful for irritable bowel syndrome . Teas made from caraway are recommend for periodontal disease and canker sores . However, there is no meaningful supporting evidence for any of these uses.
References
- May B, Kuntz HD, Kieser M, Köhler S. Efficacy of a fixed peppermint oil/caraway oil combination in non-ulcer dyspepsia. Arzneimittelforschung. 46(12):1149-53.
- Madisch A, Holtmann G, Mayr G, Vinson B, Hotz J. Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Digestion. 69(1):45-52.
- Madisch A, Heydenreich CJ, Wieland V, Hufnagel R, Hotz J. Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a fixed peppermint oil and caraway oil combination preparation as compared to cisapride. A multicenter, reference-controlled double-blind equivalence study. Arzneimittelforschung. 49(11):925-32.
- Westphal J, Horning M, Leonhardt K. Phytotherapy in functional upper abdominal complaints. Results of a clinical study with a preparation of several plants. Phytomedicine. 1996;2:285–291.
- Zheng GQ, Kenney PM, Lam LK. Anethofuran, carvone, and limonene: potential cancer chemopreventive agents from dill weed oil and caraway oil. Planta Med. 58(4):338-41.
- Singh G, Kapoor IP, Pandey SK, Singh UK, Singh RK. Studies on essential oils: part 10; antibacterial activity of volatile oils of some spices. Phytother Res. 16(7):680-2.
- Eddouks M, Lemhadri A, Michel JB. Caraway and caper: potential anti-hyperglycaemic plants in diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 94(1):143-8.
