Monograph: Caraway

Date: 2019-08-05

NHPID name

Carum carvi ( Germplasm Resources Information Network Taxonomy )

Proper name(s)

Carum carvi ( USDA 2008 )

Common name(s)

• Caraway ( McGuffin et al. 2000 , Wiersema and León 1999 )
• Caraway essential oil ( Unavailable )

Source material

Seed ( Bradley 2006 , Blumenthal et al. 1998 )

Route Of administration

Oral

Dosage form(s)

Those suited to the allowable route(s) of administration. This monograph is not intended to include food-like dosage forms such as bars, chewing gums or beverages.

Use(s) or purpose(s)

Statement(s) to the effect of:

• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to aid digestion and to help stimulate appetite (stomachic).  (Bradley 2006, Wichtl 2004, Hoffmann 2003, Ellingwood 1983[1919], Felter and Lloyd 1983[1898]b, Grieve 1971[1931])
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve digestive spasms (anti-spasmodic) and indigestion/flatulent dyspepsia (carminative).  (Bradley 2006, ESCOP 2003, Hoffmann 2003, Blumenthal et al. 1998, Felter and Lloyd 1983[1898]b, Grieve 1971[1931])

Dose(s)

Adults:

Duration of use

No statement is required

Risk information

Statement(s) to the effect of:

Caution(s) and Warning(s):

• Consult a health care practitioner/health care provider/health care professional/doctor/ physician if symptoms persist or worsen.  (ESCOP 2003)
• Consult a health care practitioner/health care provider/health care professional/doctor/ physician prior to use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or experiencing acute abdominal pain.  (ESCOP 2003)

Contraindication(s): No statement is required Known Adverse Reaction(s): Stop use if hypersensitivity/allergy occurs.  (ESCOP 2003, Brinker 2001)

Non-medicinal ingredients

Must be chosen from the current Natural health products ingredients database and must meet the limitations outlined in the database.

Specifications

• The finished product specifications must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the NHPD Quality of natural health products guide.
• The medicinal ingredient must comply with the requirements outlined in the Natural health products ingredient database (NHPID).
• The medicinal ingredient may comply with the specifications outlined in one of the following pharmacopoeial monographs: Caraway Fruit monograph in British Pharmacopoeia, Caraway Fruit monograph in European Pharmacopoeia, and Caraway monograph in US Pharamcopoeia.

References cited

• Blumenthal M, Busse W, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins C, Rister R, editors. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin (TX): American Botanical Council; 1998.
• Bradley PR, editor. British Herbal Compendium: A Handbook of Scientific Information on Widely Used Plant Drugs, Volume 2. Bournemouth (UK): British Herbal Medicine Association; 2006.
• Brinker F. 2001. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, 3rd edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications.
• Ellingwood F. 1983. American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications [Reprint of 1919 original].
• ESCOP 2003: ESCOP Monographs: The Scientific Foundation for Herbal Medicinal Products, 2nd edition. Exeter (UK): European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy and Thieme; 2003.
• Felter HW, Lloyd JU. 1983. King's American Dispensatory, Volume 2, 18th edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications [Reprint of 1898 original].
• Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King's American Dispensatory, Volume 1, 18th edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications; 1983 [Reprint of 1898 original].
• Grieve M. 1971. A Modern Herbal, Volume 1. New York (NY): Dover Publications [Reprint of 1931 Harcourt, Brace & Company publication].
• Hoffmann D. 2003. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester (VT): Healing Arts Press.
• McGuffin M, Kartesz JT, Leung AY, Tucker AO, editors. 2000. Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition. Austin(TX): American Herbal Products Association.
• McIntyre A. Herbal Treatment of Children - Western and Ayurvedic Perspectives. Toronto (ON): Elsevier Limited; 2005.
• Schilcher H. Phytotherapy in Paediatrics: Handbook for Physicians and Pharmacists. Stuttgart (D): Medpharm Scientific Publishers; 1997.
• USDA 2008: ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville (MD). [Accessed 2008-01-21]. Available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl
• Wichtl M, editor. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals: A Handbook for Practice on a Scientific Basis, 3rd edition. Stuttgart (D): Medpharm GmbH Scientific Publishers; 2004.
• Wiersema J, León B. 1999. World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press LLC.

References reviewed

• BHP 1983: British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Cowling (GB): British Herbal Medical Association; 1983.
• McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, editors. 1997. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press.
• Moerman DE . 1998. Native American Ethnobotany. Portland (OR): Timber Press.
• Williamson EM, Evans FJ, Wren RC. Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. Saffron Walden (GB): C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 1988.

Appendix 1: Examples of appropriate dosage preparations, frequencies of use and directions for use

SEED (FRUIT):

Adults ≥ 19 y:

Dried seed (fruit):

• 0.5-2 g dried seed, 3 times per day (Bradley 2006)
• 1.5-6 g dried seed, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Infusion:

• 0.5-2 g dried seed, 3 times per day (Bradley 2006)
• 1.5-2 g dried seed, 1-3 times per day (Wichtl 2004)
• 1-5 g dried seed, 1-3 times per day (ESCOP 2003)
• 3.5 g dried seed, 3 times per day (Hoffmann 2003)

Directions for use:

Pour 150 ml of boiling water over freshly crushed or powdered dried seeds. Infuse in a covered container for 10-15 minutes and strain (Wichtl 2004; ESCOP 2003; Hoffmann 2003).

Tincture:

• 0.1-0.8 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day
  (1:5, 45% alcohol, 0.5-4 ml) (Bradley 2006)
• 0.2-0.8 g dried equivalent, 3 times per day
  (1:5, 40% alcohol, 1-4 ml) (Hoffmann 2003)

Adolescents 10-18 y:

Dried seed (fruit):

1.5-6 g dried seed, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Infusion:

1-5 g dried seed, 1-3 times per day (ESCOP 2003)

Directions for use:

Pour 150 ml of boiling water over freshly crushed or powdered dried seeds. Infuse in a covered container for 10-15 minutes and strain (ESCOP 2003).

Children and adolescents 4-9 y:

Dried seed (fruit):

1-4 g dried seed, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Children 1-3 y:

Dried seed (fruit):

1-2 g dried seed, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Infants 6 mo - < 1 y:

Dried seed (fruit):

1 g dried seed, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Infusion:

0.06 g dried seed, per day (Bradley 2006)

Directions for use:

Pour 150 ml of boiling water over ½ tsp of freshly crushed or powdered dried seeds. Infuse in a covered container for 10-15 minutes and strain (Bradley 2006; Wichtl 2004). Take one teaspoonful of fresh infusion, per day.

3.6 g crushed or powdered dried seeds = 1 tsp
5 ml infusion = 1 tsp

OIL:

Adults ≥ 19 y:

• 50-200 μl caraway oil, 3 times per day (Bradley 2006)
• 6-20 μl of caraway oil (from 0.3-1 ml Concentrated Caraway Water BPC 1973), 3 times per day (Bradley 2006)
• 190-390 μl (3-6 drops) caraway oil, per day (Blumenthal 1998)

Children and adolescents 4-18 y:

190-390 μl (3-6 drops) caraway oil, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Children 1-3 y:

130-260 μl (2-4 drops) caraway oil, per day (ESCOP 2003)

Infants 6 mo - < 1 y:

• 0.26-0.38 μl of caraway oil (from 13-19 μl (2-3 drops) Concentrated Caraway Water BPC 1973), per day (Bradley 2006)
• 60-130 μl (1-2 drops) caraway oil, per day (ESCOP 2003)