The Effects of Carum Carvi (Bunium Persicum Boiss) on Early Return of Bowel Motility After Caesarean Section: Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objective: To investigate the effect of the Carum carvi (Bunium persicum Boiss) plant, a gas solvent, on resumption of bowel motility after caesarean section. Materials and methods: A randomized controlled trial was done on a group of 98 women undergoing elective caesarean section under general anesthesia in a university hospital. Patients in the intervention group (Group A) drank 10 ml of a syrup containing 8 g of Bunium persicum Boiss in 20 ml of syrup 6 to 7 hours after surgery. The control group (Group B) comprised 10 patients who drank 10 ml of placebo syrup 6 to 7 hours after surgery. Demographic characteristics, time to first hearing of normal intestinal sounds, time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group had a significantly shorter mean time to hearing the first intestinal sounds (10.66 ± 2.38 vs. 19.54 ± 3.85 h), mean time to first flatus (13.91 ± 3.73 vs. 24.82 ± 5.83 h), mean time to first bowel movement (19.31 ± 4.63 vs. 30.70 ± 10.21 h), and mean length of hospitalization (31.70 ± 7.70 vs. 49.20 ± 10.16 h) (p < 0.05). No patients developed serious side effects associated with consumption of the syrup. Conclusion: The use of a gas solvent such as Bunium persicum Boiss after caesarean section can speed the resumption of postoperative bowel motility.