Carminative

A carminative, also known as carminativum (plural carminativa), is an herb or preparation that either prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitates the expulsion of said gas, thereby combatting flatulence. Carminatives have been shown to decrease lower esophageal pressure, which on the other hand increases the risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or 'heartburn'.

Varieties

Carminatives are often mixtures of essential oils and herbal spices with a tradition in folk medicine for this use. Examples:

• Angelica
• Anise seed
• Asafoetida
• Basil
• Calamus
• Caraway
• Cardamom
• Cinnamon
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Dill
• Epazote
• Eucalyptus
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Goldenrod
• Hops
• Lemon balm
• Liquorice
• Lovage
• Marjoram
• Motherwort
• Muña
• Mustard
• Nigella
• Nutmeg
• Onion
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Pepper
• Pennyroyal
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Saffron
• Sage
• Spearmint
• Thyme
• Valerian
• Wintergreen
• Wormwood

Modern drugs used for the same purpose include simethicone, which, rather than having physiological activity, simply lowers the surface tension of gas bubbles. See anti-foaming agent.

Literary references

• The English author Aldous Huxley includes a long passage (chapter 20) about the word "carminative" in his novel Crome Yellow. The character Denis explains how unfortunate it is that some words don't mean what they ought to mean.
• The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has stated that "Carminative" is his favorite word.

External links

• Uses of essential oils
• Downloadable Gutenberg etext of Crome Yellow - see chapter 20
• Online text - Chapter 20 of Crome Yellow
• Listen to Chapter 20 of Crome Yellow at Librivox
• Pepper as a carminative
• Herbal Actions: Carminative