CARAWAY Overview Information
Caraway is a plant that has an interesting place in legend. Superstitions held that caraway had the power to prevent the theft of any object that contained the seed and to keep lovers from losing interest in one another. These days, some people think caraway has healing power, and they use the oil, fruit, and seeds as medicine.
Caraway is used for digestive problems including heartburn, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, and mild spasms of the stomach and intestines. Caraway oil is also used to help people cough up phlegm, improve control of urination, kill bacteria in the body, and relieve constipation.
Women use caraway oil to start menstruation and relieve menstrual cramps; nursing mothers use it to increase the flow of breast milk.
Caraway is used in mouthwashes and in skin rubs to improve local blood flow.
In foods, caraway is used as a cooking spice.
In manufacturing, caraway oil is used to flavor certain medications. It is also commonly used as a fragrance in toothpaste, soap, and cosmetics.
How does it work?
Caraway oil might improve digestion and relieve spasms in the stomach and intestines.
CARAWAY Uses & Effectiveness 
Possibly Effective for:
- Heartburn, when used in combination with other herbs. Taking caraway oil as part of a specific combination with peppermint oil (Enteroplant, Spitzner Arzneimittel) seems to relieve heartburn, including symptoms of fullness and mild gastrointestinal (GI) spasms, about as well as a drug called cisapride. This peppermint oil/caraway oil combination is not available in the US. Another combination product that contains caraway plus clown's mustard plant, peppermint leaf, German chamomile, licorice, milk thistle, angelica, celandine, and lemon balm (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) also seems to improve symptoms of upset stomach. This combination seems to significantly help acid stomach, cramping, nausea, and vomiting.
Insufficient Evidence for:
- Poor appetite.
- Constipation.
- Gas.
- Bloating.
- Spasms of stomach and intestines.
- Menstrual cramps.
- Poor blood flow.
- Infection.
- Starting menstruation.
- Increasing milk flow in nursing mothers.
- Other conditions.
CARAWAY Side Effects & Safety
Caraway seems to be safe in medicinal amounts for most people when used for up to 8 weeks.
Caraway oil can cause belching, heartburn, and nausea when used with peppermint oil. It can cause skin rashes and itching in sensitive people when applied to the skin.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It might be UNSAFE to take caraway in medicinal amounts. Caraway oil has been used to start menstruation, and this might cause a miscarriage. Don’t use it.Diabetes: There is a concern that caraway might lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes and use caraway, watch your blood sugar carefully. The dose of the medications you use for diabetes might need to be adjusted.
Surgery: Caraway might lower blood sugar levels. There is a concern that it might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using caraway at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
CARAWAY Interactions
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination
- Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with CARAWAY
Caraway might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking caraway along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Before taking caraway, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
CARAWAY Dosing
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
- For heartburn (acid indigestion): 50-100 mg of caraway oil per day has been used in combination with peppermint oil. A specific combination product containing caraway (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) and several other herbs has been used in a dose of 1 mL three times daily.
