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Caraway

From London's Ghost Acres


The caraway plant is native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. The dried caraway fruit (sometimes called caraway seeds) are referred to in the Pharmacopeia. Caraway has carminative properties (flatulence relief), and are often incorporated into stomachic pills and other treatments that address any gastrointestinal issues.

British Pharmacopoeia 1867

Caraway Fruit Carui Fructus

The dried fruit (sometimes called seeds) of Carum carui that are cultivated in England and Germany[1] Characteristics “Fruit usually separation into two parts which are about two lines long, curved, tapering at each end, brown, with five paler longitudinal ridges; having an agreeable aromatic odous and spicy taste.” [2]

Preparations of Caraway

Caraway Water / Aqua Carui [3]

  • one pound of caraway fruit, bruised, distilled in two gallons of water to make one gallon of the water

Confection of Opium / Confectio Opii [4]

  • compound powder of opium (192 grains) and 1 fl oz of syrup mixed
  • caraway is included in the compound powder of opium
  • the dose given is 5-20 grains

Confection of Pepper / Confectio Piperia (syn: electuarium piperis) [5]

  • black pepper in fine powder (2 oz), caraway fruit in fine powder (3 oz), and clarified honey (15 oz) combined together in a mortar
  • taken in a dose of 60-120 grains

Confection of Scammony / Confectio Scammonii [6]

  • Scammony, in fine powder (3 oz), ginger in fine powder (1 ½ oz), oil of caraway (1 fl drachm), oil of cloves (1/2 fl drachm), syrup (3 fl oz), and clarified honey (1 ½ oz)
  • Dose given is 10-30 grains

Oil of Caraway / Oleum Carui [7]

  • “the oil distilled in Britain from caraway fruit… clourless or pale yellow, odour armotic, and taste spicy”
  • used in the preparations of Confectio Scammonii, and Pilula Aloes Barbadenis

Pill of Barbadoes Aloes / Pilula Aloes Barbadensis [8]

  • Barbadoes aloes, in powder (2 oz), hard soap (1 oz), oil of caraway (1 fl drachm), and confection of roses (1 oz)
  • the given dose is 5-10 grains

Compound Powder of Opium / Pulvis Opii compositus [9]

  • opium in powder (1 ½ oz), black pepper in powder (2 oz), ginger in powder (5 oz), caraway fruit in powder (6 oz), and tragacanth in powder (1/2 oz)
  • the dose given in 2-5 grains
  • included in the preparation of Confecto Opii

Compound Tincture of Cardmoms / Tinctura Cadamomi composita [10]

  • cardamom seeds frees from the pericarps and bruised (1/4 oz), caraway fruit bruised (1/4 oz), raisins freed from their seeds (2 oz), cinnamon bark bruised (1/2 oz), cochineal in powder (60 grains), and proof spirit (1 pint)
  • the dose is ½ -2 fl drachms
  • used in the preparation of Decoctum Aloes compositum, Mistura Ferri Aromatica, Mistura Sennae composite, and Tinctura Chloroformi composita

Tincture of Senna / Tinctura Sennae [11]

  • Senna broken small (2 ½ oz), raisins freed from seeds (2 oz), caraway fruit bruised (1/2 oz), coriander fruit bruised (1/2 oz), and proof spirit (1 pint)
  • The dose given in 1-4 fl drachms
  • used in the preparation of Mistura Sennae composita

A Compendium of Domestic Medicine, 1865

Primarily used as a carminative, noted for its ability to relieve griping [12]

Remedies Containing or to be used with Caraway

  • Ether, Compound Spirit of: oil of caraway in included in a mixture to treat flatulent colic. [13]
  • Oli of Caraway: has the same properties as oil of aniseed. [14]
  • Soluble Tartar: caraway water used in an aperient given to children. [15]

Prescriptions Containing Caraway

Antacids

  • Antacid and Carminative Mixture: spirit of caraway [16]
  • Aromatic Magnesia Mixture: spirit of caraway [17]

Aperients and Cathartics

  • Aperient Mixture (Another): caraway water [18]
  • Aperient Mixture (Another): caraway seeds [19]
  • Dr. James Johnson’s Aperient Pills: oil of caraway [20]
  • Purgative Pills for General Use: oil of caraway [21]

Carminatives

  • Stomach Mixture: oil of caraway [22]
  • Stomach Mixture (Another): caraway water [23]

Demulcents

  • Cough Mixture (Another): spirit of caraway [24]

Diuretics

  • Diuretic Mixture (Another): bruised caraway seeds [25]


Expectorants

  • Expectorant Pills: oil of caraway [26]


Stimulants

  • Stimulant Mixture (Another): oil of caraway [27]

References

  1. General Medical Council of Great Britain, British Pharmacopeia, (London: Spottiswoode & Co.,1867), 71 https://archive.org/details/britishpharmacop00gene
  2. GMCGB, 71
  3. GMCGB, 43
  4. GMCGB, 87
  5. GMCGB, 87
  6. GMCGB, 88-89
  7. GMCGB, 221
  8. GMCGB, 234
  9. GMCGB, 265
  10. GMCGB, 324
  11. GMCGB, 341
  12. Savory, John. A Compendium of Domestic Medicine (London: John Churchill and Sons, 1865), 391. https://books.google.ca/books?id=VxoDAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
  13. Savory, 60
  14. Savory, 106
  15. Savory, 137
  16. Savory, 307
  17. Savory, 309
  18. Savory, 311
  19. Savory, 311
  20. Savory, 313
  21. Savory, 315
  22. Savory, 321
  23. Savory, 321
  24. Savory, 323
  25. Savory, 325
  26. Savory, 328
  27. Savory, 333