Wind, bloating and colic

Peppermint

Mentha x piperita

EMA well-established use of gastro-resistant oil capsules covers minor gastrointestinal spasms, flatulence and abdominal pain, largely on the strength of the IBS trials.

Catnip

Nepeta cataria

Used as a carminative and antispasmodic for the flatulent colic of children (King's) and by the Cherokee for colic. Its essential oil relaxed isolated rabbit gut muscle, apparently by blocking calcium channels, which the authors suggest may explain its traditional use in colic and diarrhoea.

Cumin

Cuminum cyminum

In a triple-blind RCT of 74 patients after abdominal surgery, two 250 mg capsules of cumin extract shortened time to first passing gas (9.0 vs 11.7 h) and defecation (17 vs 26 h) and reduced bloating, pain and nausea compared with placebo.

Houpo magnolia

Magnolia officinalis

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia lists it for digestive disorders including constipation, dyspepsia, gastritis, nausea and vomiting (WHO). In a small Japanese study, two weeks of hangekobokuto (a formula containing magnolia bark) reduced bowel gas and bloating in people with functional dyspepsia. No trials of the bark alone exist.

Kiwifruit

Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa

A small US comparative trial found kiwifruit, prunes and psyllium all eased constipation; only the kiwifruit group reported less bloating, and it had the fewest side effects.

Ajwain

Trachyspermum ammi

Classed as carminative; the seeds were recorded as effective against flatulence, atonic dyspepsia and diarrhoea (Bentley and Trimen), and in Iranian traditional medicine the aromatic water is used for gastrointestinal disorders. No modern trials of ajwain alone for digestion were found.

Anise

Pimpinella anisum

Part of the same EMA traditional-use indication (bloating and flatulence), based on long use, not trials.

Artichoke

Cynara cardunculus

Part of the EMA traditional-use indication (sensation of fullness, bloating and flatulence).

Asafoetida

Ferula assa-foetida

Used as a digestive aid and for flatulent colic in Indian medicine and older Western herbalism. The infant colic use is dangerous (see safety).

Bai zhu

Atractylodes macrocephala

Abdominal distension is among its traditional gastrointestinal indications; lab studies suggest effects on gut motility and microbiota.

Bogbean

Menyanthes trifoliata

EMA traditional use for mild digestive disorders such as bloating and flatulence.

Caraway

Carum carvi

EU monographs (2015) on caraway fruit and caraway oil register them as traditional herbal medicines for the symptomatic relief of digestive disorders such as bloating and flatulence, based on long-standing use. The EMA assessment found no clinical trials of adequate quality for caraway alone. In small volunteer studies summarised by EMA, 50 mg caraway oil reduced stomach and duodenal contraction amplitudes, a possible basis for its antispasmodic use.

Cascarilla

Croton eluteria

Listed for flatulency in King's American Dispensatory (1898).

Ceylon cinnamon

Cinnamomum verum

EMA traditional-use indication: mild spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence.

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Flatulence is named within the EMA traditional indication; French tradition lists root tea for flatulence, belching and epigastric distension.

Coriander

Coriandrum sativum

Used as a carminative for flatulence in Iranian traditional medicine, India and Morocco; no trials of coriander alone.

Costus

Dolomiaea costus

Four costus-based formulas in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020), such as Muxiang Shunqi Wan and Muxiang Binglang Wan, are used for 'gastrointestinal stagnation', abdominal distension and pain. Supporting work is in animals and isolated tissue; no good trials of the root alone were found.

Dill

Anethum graveolens

Flatulence is part of the same WHO pharmacopoeial indication; the essential oil showed carminative and anti-foaming activity in the laboratory only.

Fingerroot

Boesenbergia rotunda

Recorded as a carminative used for flatulence, and in Chinese use for abdominal distension; no trials.

Fumitory

Fumaria officinalis

Flatulence and fullness are part of the same EMA traditional-use indication.

German chamomile

Matricaria chamomilla

Part of the same EMA traditional-use indication; mixed-herb products containing chamomile have been tested for infant colic, but chamomile alone has not been shown to help.

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

EMA traditional use for mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence.

Great yellow gentian

Gentiana lutea

WHO lists feelings of distension and flatulence among the digestive complaints described in pharmacopoeias.

Greater galangal

Alpinia galanga

In a review of 76 Thai ethnobotanical studies, galangal had 60 medicinal use reports, chiefly for digestive disorders such as flatulence.

Green cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

The Commission E indication singles out flatulence; no controlled trials of cardamom alone were found.

Javanese turmeric

Curcuma zanthorrhiza

Flatulence is part of the same EMA traditional-use indication.

Juniper

Juniperus communis

Flatulence is part of the EMA traditional-use indication for both the berry and the oil.

Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis

EU traditional use for mild gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence; Commission E and the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia also recorded it as a carminative.

Lemon verbena

Aloysia citrodora

EMA traditional use for mild gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence, based on long use.

Mandarin orange

Citrus reticulata

A core 'qi-regulating' herb for abdominal fullness; its synephrine relaxes smooth muscle and increases intestinal movement in laboratory work.

Muña

Minthostachys mollis

Taken as an infusion for flatulence and colic in Andean medicine; Ecuador's pharmacopoeia lists it as carminative and antispasmodic. Untested in people.

North American beaver

Castor canadensis

Pliny listed castoreum for stomach problems and flatulence.

Radish

Raphanus sativus

Lai fu zi is used in Chinese medicine for 'eliminating bloating' and abdominal distension; untested on its own in trials.

Roman chamomile

Chamaemelum nobile

EMA traditional use for symptomatic treatment of mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence, based solely on long-standing use. EMA found clinical efficacy undocumented.

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

Part of the same EMA traditional-use indication for mild gastrointestinal spasms.

Sandy everlasting

Helichrysum arenarium

The EMA monograph (2016) accepts traditional use as a tea 'in digestive disorders with a feeling of fullness and bloating', based only on long-standing use. The assessors found no clinical studies of the flowers.

Sha ren

Wurfbainia villosa

Chinese medicine uses it to 'eliminate dampness, appetise the stomach and warm the spleen', including for bloating and abdominal distension. No trials of the fruit alone were found.

Star anise

Illicium verum

Chinese medicine uses it to 'warm yang, disperse cold, regulate qi and relieve pain', in classical and pharmacopoeial formulas for cold-type abdominal pain, lower-abdominal pain and hernia. There are no clinical trials of star anise alone.

Star anise

Illicium verum

Star anise tea is a popular home remedy for infant colic in many communities, but it has caused neurological and gastrointestinal poisoning in babies, partly through contamination with Japanese star anise; paediatric toxicologists advise that it should no longer be given to infants.

Sweet basil

Ocimum basilicum

Avicenna, Rhazes and the 18th-century Persian author Salehi Heravi mention basil for bloating and haemorrhoids; healers in southern Thailand use it for flatulence. Not tested in trials.

White horehound

Marrubium vulgare

Part of the same EMA traditional-use indication: symptomatic treatment of bloating and flatulence.

Winter savory

Satureja montana

Trentino herb tea against bloating; the surveying authors found nothing in the literature to explain this use.