Researchers have created a synthetic compound from caraway seeds that shows greater effectiveness than current childhood epilepsy medications, offering hope for safer treatments without cannabis-related regulatory barriers.

A team of researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has developed a new class of CBD -like compounds, but without using the cannabis plant. Instead, the scientists turned to an unexpected source: caraway seeds, a spice commonly used in breads, stews, and cheeses.

A possible “molecular breakthrough” is happening in the Las Vegas valley. A group of UNLV students and neuroscientists has found a way to take something as common as caraway, also known as meridian fennel, and transform it into a new class of CBD-like compounds that could potentially help children who suffer from severe seizure disorders.

Researchers have developed a new class of CBD-like compounds that they say are even more effective at treating epilepsy and also promote brain cell development. But rather than extracting them from the cannabis plant, the scientists conducting the federally funded study used a common household kitchen spice: caraway seeds.

A common kitchen spice may yield a new class of cannabidiol (CBD)-like medicines with powerful seizure-reducing effects, according to a new study. Caraway seeds, also called meridian fennel, could produce safer, more affordable, and more effective treatments for childhood seizure disorders than existing frontline therapies.

A groundbreaking advancement from researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has unveiled a novel class of cannabidiol (CBD)-like compounds derived from the common kitchen spice  caraway seeds. This innovative approach promises a revolutionary leap forward in seizure therapy, particularly for childhood seizure disorders, by offering treatments that are safer, more potent, and more cost-effective than current frontline medications. The cornerstone of this discovery lies in the chemical manipulation of carvone, the principal constituent of caraway seeds, to craft synthetic molecules that mimic the therapeutic advantages of CBD while eliminating the psychoactive effects tied to THC.

The human brain has an incredible ability to adapt itself by breaking old habits and ideas to form new ones. Our brains are made up of billions of neurons, and we learn behaviors by creating pathways between them. When we have a habit — like smoking — we repeat the action so often that these neural pathways are strengthened, making them automatic behaviors that are difficult to break.

If you’ve ever found yourself tearing up during an in-flight movie, noticed that your favorite snacks taste a little off at 35,000 feet, or felt like a single cocktail hit you harder in the air than on the ground, altitude could be to blame.