UNLV researchers find hope for caraway seed-based drug to reduce seizures

Within the white, clinical walls of a nondescript UNLV lab, a small team of neuroscientists are working on a project with potentially big implications for children suffering from seizures.

Their goal: to turn a compound in caraway seeds, a pungent and earthy kitchen spice used in rye bread, into an effective and safe seizure-reducing medication. So far, researchers said their studies are showing even more promise than they originally expected.

In collaboration with scientists at New Mexico State University, UNLV associate professors of neuroscience Rochelle and Dustin Hines are working to create a new class of medicines by turning carvone, a chemical component found in caraway seeds, into CBD-like molecules and testing their effectiveness as medicines for different ailments.

CBD, short