Carum carvi L. (Apiaceae/Umbelliferae)

Abstract

The plant is native to western Asia, northern Africa and Europe. Fruits erroneously called seeds (at harvesting fruits split, and are called seeds) are crescent-shaped achenes. Seeds (fruits) are described in Unani medicine as astringent, coagulant, expectorant and tonic for lungs, stomachic, eupeptic, digestive, carminative, antispasmodic, antidiarrheal, diuretic, and galactagogue; used to relieve flatulence and flatulent colic in infants, and to allay hiccough. In Ayurveda, seeds are used in agnimãndya, ãdhmãna, jirnajvara, grahaniroga and krmiroga. Vapors from caraway seeds are reported to relieve pain in patients suffering from lumbago and rheumatism. In Iranian traditional medicine, caraway is indicated for treatment of epilepsy. Major constituents of caraway are carvacrol, carvone, α-pinene, limonene, γ-terpinene, carvenone, linalool, and p-cymene. Seeds of annual caraway varieties have lower EO content than fruits of biennial varieties, and biennial caraway usually has a higher carvone-to-limonene ratio. Flavonoid constituents of seeds are quercetin 3-glucuronide, isoquercitrin, quercetin 3-O-caffeylglucoside and kaempferol 3-glucoside, and monoterpenes: anethofuran, carvone and limonene. Aqueous fruit extract and EO exhibit significant antiulcerogenic activity in rats. Hydroalcohol extract and EO are also significantly protective against TNBS-induced colitis in rats, regardless of their route of administration. Repeated oral administration of aqueous extract significantly reduced FBG, TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio of diabetic rats, without affecting blood glucose levels of normal rats, and no changes in basal plasma insulin concentrations. In a triple-blind RCT, administration of aqueous extract to healthy but overweight and obese adult females for 90-days significantly reduced body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio, with lipid profile, urine specific gravity, and BP remaining unaffected.