Author(s):

SJ Virshette, MK Patil and Junaid R Shaikh

Abstract: Plants are the major source of medicine and have been used as a traditional therapeutic agent for various diseases since ages. In rural areas of the developing countries, about 80% of the people in use traditional medicines for their health care. Carminatives are agents used to relieve flatulence by preventing gas formation in the gastrointestinal tract and facilitating its expulsion. Carminatives have been shown to decrease lower oesophageal pressure, which on the other hand increases the risk of gastro-oesophageal reflex disease or heartburn. Ayurveda is a system of traditional Hindu medicine in which several plants have been used as the carminative agents. The herbal carminatives mainly include volatile oils usually extracted from the old-world ring i.e. cardamom, ginger, peppermint, cinnamon and cloves. The most commonly used plant parts as carminatives are leaves, flowers and fruits. This review highlights the chemical constituent of various herbal carminative agents along with their traditional uses.

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