A carminative, also known as carminativum (plural carminativa), is an herb or preparation intended to either prevent formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitate the expulsion of said gas, thereby combatting flatulence.
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Name
The word "carminative" is a derivative of Latin cārmen 'card for wool', 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 herbal spices with a tradition in folk medicine for this use. Some examples for oils and spices with carminative action are:
Modern drugs used for the same purpose include simethicone, which simply lowers the surface tension of gas bubbles rather than having physiological activity.