Introduction Stress can be described as the sum total of all the reactions of the body to a stimulus, which disturb the normal physiological condition and result in a state of threatened homeostasis and has been defined as a nonspecific response of the body to any demand imposed on it (Selye 1936). In its most simplified sense, stress is what one feels when life’s demands exceed one’s ability to meet those demands. Stress is an internationally recognised phenomenon fortified by advancement of industrialisation in a demanding civilisation. In fact every individual is likely to face stressful situations in day to day life from headaches to heart disease and immune deficiency to digestive problems. Thus stress is a factor in many illnesses (Selye 1998). Increased production of stress hormones and subsequent decrease in immune function appear to contribute to the stress induced decline in health (Gregory 1999). Similarly increased physical and psychological stress leads to increased incidence of amnesia. There is increasing evidence that Alzheimer’s disease increases severe oxidative stress as a result of either beta amyloid mediated generation of free radicals or perturbed ionic calcium balance within neurons and their mitochondria (Gerard 2000). Supplementation with higher ascorbic acid and betacarotene was associated with better memory performance which indicates the role of potential antioxidants in brain aging and cognitive impairment (Kowalski 2000). Literature also indicates that the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of cancer, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and the compounds having capacity to scavenge these free radicals has great potential in mitigation of these disorders (Halliwell 1985). Ayurveda is an ancient form of Indian medicine which deals with plants and plant products. This indigenous form of medicine uses the active ingredients present in plants for treating various diseases (Nair 1998). Since the introduction of adaptogens several plants have been investigated which were once used as tonics due to their adaptogenic and rejuvenating properties in Ayurvedic medicine (Rege 1999). The drugs of plant origin are gaining increasing popularity and are being investigated for remedies of a number of disorders including antistress (adaptogenic) activity (Wagner 1994, Katiyar 1997, Edzard 1998, Sreemantula 2005). Spices are dried herbs that have been effectively used in the indigenous systems of medicine in India and also in other countries (Nadkarni 1976). Apart from their traditional use, arrays of beneficial pharmacological effects have been reported by extensive animal studies during the past three decades (Satyanarayana 2004, Sushruta 2006). Carum carvi Linn, commonly known as caraway (Umbelliferae) is a globally distributed spice with a history Adaptogenic and nootropic activities of aqueous extracts of Carum carvi Linn (caraway) fruit: an experimental study in Wistar rats Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism 2009 21(3) 72 © National Herbalists Association of Australia 2009 Global dispensary Sushruta Koppula*, Spandana Rajendra Kopalli, Satyanarayana Sreemantula University College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University Visakhapatnam 530 003, Andhra Pradesh, India *Corresponding author present address Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110 799, South Korea Email sushrutak@gmail.com Research Support: Council of Scientific and Inudstrial Research (CSIR), India In the present investigation the aqueous extract of Carum carvi was evaluated for antistress activity in normal and stress induced rats. The extract was studied for nootropic activity in rats and in vitro antioxidant potential to correlate its antistress activity. For the evaluation of antistress activity groups of rats were subjected to forced swim stress one hour after daily treatment of Carum carvi extract. Urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and ascorbic acid were selected as non invasive biomarkers to assess the antistress activity. The 24 h urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and ascorbic acid was determined in all groups under normal and stressed conditions. The nootropic activity of the extract as determined from acquisition, retention and retrieval in rats was studied by conditioned avoidance response using Cook’s pole climbing apparatus. The in vitro antioxidant activity was determined based on the ability of Carum carvi to inhibit lipid peroxidation in liver and brain homogenates. Daily administration of Carum carvi at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight one hour prior to induction of stress inhibited the stress induced urinary biochemical changes in a dose dependent manner. However no change in the urinary excretion of VMA and ascorbic acid was observed in normal animals at all the doses studied. The cognition, as determined by the acquisition, retention and recovery in rats was observed to be dose dependent. The extract produced significant inhibition of lipid peroxide formation in comparison with ascorbic acid in a dose dependent manner in both liver and brain. The present study provides scientific support for the antistress (adaptogenic), antioxidant and nootropic activities of Carum carvi extract and substantiates its traditional use as a culinary spice in foods as beneficial and scientific in combating stress induced disorders. Key words: Carum carvi, caraway, stress, nootropic, lipid peroxidation