How a Common Kitchen Spice Could Become the Next Big CBD Alternative
A surprising discovery from scientists at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) suggests that a common kitchen spice may unlock a groundbreaking CBD alternative for seizure treatment. Researchers have found that compounds in caraway seeds, often used as a kitchen spice in breads and stews, could mimic cannabidiol (CBD) and even outperform it in reducing seizures.
This new research positions the kitchen spice as more than just a flavor booster — it might soon serve as the foundation for a powerful CBD alternative that’s safer, more affordable, and easier to regulate than cannabis-derived medicines.
According to study co-author Adriana Carrillo, a neuroscience and public health researcher at UNLV, modifying the chemical shape of the kitchen spice’s main component enhances CBD’s therapeutic effects. “This new class of therapeutics holds significant promise for patients who have exhausted existing options,” Carrillo said. She added that these compounds could one day offer families safer, more effective choices through a natural CBD alternative pathway.
Unlike traditional cannabis products, this CBD alternative derived from a kitchen spice is completely synthetic, THC-free, and designed to prevent seizures without sedative side effects. Study co-author Dustin Hines, a UNLV neuroscience professor, explained that the compounds not only reduced seizure-related deaths but also promoted healthier brain cell development — a rare combination for seizure therapies.
The researchers tested the kitchen spice extract in preclinical trials and found it delivered stronger protection against seizures than standard benzodiazepines, the most common anticonvulsant drugs.
CBD, one of over 500 compounds in the cannabis plant, has gained global attention for its therapeutic potential. However, existing products like Epidiolex the only FDA-approved CBD drug face high manufacturing costs and complex regulations. A CBD alternative based on a kitchen spice could avoid those barriers entirely, bringing relief to more patients worldwide.
Still, the researchers caution that eating caraway seeds alone won’t produce these effects. “Caraway seeds don’t contain CBD they just contain the scaffold to create it,” Carrillo explained. The next step is to continue refining this kitchen spice-based CBD alternative and move toward human trials.
The full study, published in Nature’s journal Neuropsychopharmacology, highlights how one humble kitchen spice might soon redefine what’s possible in modern medicine transforming a pantry staple into the world’s most promising CBD alternative.
