Carminative

A carminative, known in Latin as carminativum, is a herb or preparation intended to combat flatulence either by preventing formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or

Name

The word carminative is a derivative of Latin cārmen "card for wool", according to Hensley Wedgewood, on the humoral theory that carminatives "dilute and relax the gross humours from whence the wind arises, combing them out like the knots in wool".

Varieties

Carminatives are often mixtures of essential oils and spices with a tradition in folk medicine. Some examples include:

Modern drugs used for the same purpose include simethicone, which simply lowers the surface tension of gas bubbles rather than having