Spice That Fights Seizures: Caraway Promises Seizure Relief for Children

Caraway seed compounds have been transformed into a new class of cannabidiol-like medicines that show strong seizure-reducing properties, presenting a safer, more affordable, and more effective therapy for childhood seizure disorders compared to existing treatments (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Carvone derived cannabidiol enantiomers as novel anticonvulsants

Go to source). Caraway seeds, also known as meridian fennel and widely used in both sweet and savory dishes, serve as the foundation for this breakthrough approach. By modifying the structure of the seeds’ primary chemical compound, scientists enhanced cannabidiol’s beneficial therapeutic properties, creating a series of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) -free, cannabidiol-like medicines.

During preclinical testing, these caraway-based treatments demonstrated a powerful ability to halt seizures and did so without causing the brain-related side effects often linked to long-term benzodiazepine use, a class of anticonvulsant medications commonly prescribed for developmental epilepsy syndromes.

Caraway Compounds Show Promising Seizure Reduction

The discovery, largely driven by undergraduate psychology students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), in partnership with university faculty and collaborators at New Mexico State University, was published in Nature’s Neuropsychopharmacology journal.

These synthetic compounds, made from a safe plant extract and entirely free of THC, not only prevented seizures and decreased seizure-related deaths but also supported the healthy development of brain cells, without the sedative effects associated with current treatments.

Because many childhood seizure disorders are resistant to available medications, both the seizures and their treatments can negatively affect brain growth, cognition, and overall quality of life, making this advancement especially meaningful.

Carvone-Derived Therapeutics Offer Safer Alternatives

This work is among the first to examine the effectiveness and tolerability of carvone-derived compounds, naturally found in the essential oils of caraway, dill, and spearmint. Publishing this carvone-based therapeutic collection marks a significant milestone for scientists aiming to improve cannabidiol-inspired therapies, particularly those that overcome the strict regulations and limited accessibility of cannabis-derived medications.

Cannabidiol, one of more than 500 chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant, has steadily gained acceptance for its non-intoxicating properties and proven benefits in addressing anxiety, multiple sclerosis, certain epilepsy types, and other neurological and inflammatory conditions.

Currently, Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved cannabidiol medication prescribed for seizures in patients as young as one year old. However, it is reserved for those with severe epilepsy and involves complicated manufacturing, insurance, and distribution requirements due to its cannabis origin.

Caraway Seeds Alone Do Not Produce Cannabidiol Effects

Although the caraway-based cannabidiol molecules have shown remarkable preclinical success, the UNLV scientists view this as an early stage of progress. Further investigations will be vital to advancing the compounds toward human trials and eventual regulatory approval.

However, simply consuming caraway seeds will not yield the same effects. “Caraway seeds don’t contain CBD. They just contain the scaffold to create it,” explained co-author Adriana Carrillo, a UNLV senior majoring in neuroscience and public health.

Carrillo, alongside her fellow students and faculty collaborators from UNLV and NMSU, continues refining this line of therapies and remains optimistic about its potential. “Advancing this new class of therapeutics holds significant promise for patients who have exhausted existing treatment options, whether due to debilitating side effects or a lack of response to currently available therapies,” said Carrillo. “It is encouraging to help build the foundation for future treatment options that could one day offer families safer and more effective choices.”

To sum up, the creation of cannabidiol-like compounds from caraway seeds represents a groundbreaking advance in seizure management. By offering a THC-free, brain-protective, and affordable option, caraway-derived compounds could change how we treat childhood epilepsy — turning an everyday spice into a potential lifesaver for children who don’t respond to current therapies.

Reference:

1. Carvone derived cannabidiol enantiomers as novel anticonvulsants - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-025-02220-1)

Source-Medindia