A carminative, known in Latin as carminativum (plural carminativa), 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 "
carding", according to Hensley Wedgewood, on the
humoral medicine that carminatives "dilute and relax the gross humours from whence the wind arises, combing them out like the knots in wool".
[ Hensleigh Wedgwood, A Dictionary of English Etymology, s.v.]
Varieties
Carminatives are often mixtures of
and
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
See also
External links
