What is Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar)?

Tukhm-e-Gazar is the dried seed of the carrot plant, Daucus carota. It is also called Bazr al-Jazar, or carrot seed. Unani and Persian healers treat it as a single drug, meaning it is used on its own as well as in blends.

It is used for late or painful periods, for wind and belly cramps, and to help pass urine. Some people also take it to lift sex drive. It comes as whole seed, as a powder, as a tea, or inside a larger formula.

Here is the plain verdict. We could find no human trials of carrot seed for any of these uses. Long use in a tradition is not proof that it works, so treat this as a folk remedy and not a tested medicine.

How does Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar) work?

No one has shown how carrot seed works in people. What follows is theory only.

The seed holds a scented oil. In lab dishes and in animals, parts of that oil relax smooth muscle and raise urine flow. Whether that happens at the small amounts people take is not known.

In Unani theory the seed is "hot and dry". Healers used it to warm a cold womb or a slow gut. That is a way of sorting remedies, not a test of what the seed does.

What forms does Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar) come in?

Whole or crushed seed is the usual form. You may also meet it as a powder, as a water tea, or inside mixed Unani pastes and pills.

Carrot seed essential oil is a separate product. It is far stronger than the seed and is sold for scent or for use on the skin once diluted. Do not swallow it.

Where it comes from:

Carrot seed has a long record in Greek, Arabic and Indian writing. Greek writers described wild carrot seed about two thousand years ago. Unani doctors later listed it as a single drug for the womb, the gut and the urine.

In Persian and Unani homes it is still a common seed. Its standing rests on that long record.

What does Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar) help with?

• Late or scanty periods: This is the best known use. Unani texts class carrot seed as an emmenagogue (something thought to bring on a period). No human trial has tested it for this, so we cannot say it works. This same reputation is why it must be avoided in pregnancy.
• Period cramps: Traditional use only. The idea is that the warm, oily seed eases a cramping womb. Animal work shows some plant oils relax smooth muscle, but nobody has tested carrot seed on cramps in women.
• Wind, bloating and slow digestion: Carrot seed is used as a carminative (a remedy for trapped wind), like fennel or cumin. Scented seed oils can settle a gassy gut for some people. No trial has measured this for carrot seed.
• Water retention and weak urine flow: Unani sources call it a diuretic (something that makes you pass more urine). Animal studies of carrot seed extract support a mild effect. There is no human evidence, and this is the use most likely to clash with water tablets.
• Low sex drive: Classical texts list carrot seed as an aphrodisiac (something believed to raise sex drive). This rests on tradition alone. No human study supports it.
• Poor appetite: Used as a warming, bitter-aromatic seed before meals. Tradition only, with no trial evidence.

Which foods are rich in Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar)?

1. Carrot seed itself: used whole or ground as a warming spice in some South Asian cooking
2. Wild carrot (Queen Anne's lace) seed: the same species, gathered from wild plants and used as a folk tea
3. Carrot root: the familiar vegetable from the same plant, but it does not carry the seed's oil

Practical Tips:

Eating carrots does not give you the seed's constituents; the oil sits in the seed, not the root.

What are the side effects of Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar)?

• Mild stomach upset or nausea
• Heartburn or belching from the seed oil
• Skin rash or itching
• Sun sensitivity, mainly from the essential oil on skin
• Allergic reaction in people allergic to carrot, celery, parsley or fennel
• Heavier or earlier period bleeding

Good to know:

Most people who take small amounts of the seed report nothing worse than a mild upset stomach. Side effects have never been tracked in a trial, so the real rate is unknown.

Stop and get advice if you get a rash, swelling of the face or mouth, or bleeding heavier than normal. People allergic to carrot, celery, parsley or fennel are most at risk.

How much Tukhm-e-Gazar (Bazr al-Jazar) should you take?

• Recommended daily: No safe or tested dose has been set, because no human trials exist. Unani practice commonly uses about 1 to 3 grams of powdered seed a day, or one teaspoon of crushed seed steeped in hot water. Carrot seed essential oil is not for swallowing at any amount.
• Best time of day: Usually taken once or twice a day. For wind and appetite, tradition takes it shortly before or after meals.
• With or without food: Take it with or just after food. This lowers the chance of stomach upset.
• Time to effect: Unknown. For gut wind, any settling effect would be within an hour or two. For period timing, tradition expects days rather than hours, but this has never been measured.
• How long to take it: If you try it, keep it short. Two to four weeks is a sensible ceiling before you stop and reassess. Stop sooner if nothing changes or if you feel worse, and speak to a doctor before repeating it.