-IBIS-1.7.0-
rx
herb
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
Botanicals

definition

botanical name(s): Foeniculum vulgare

synonyms: fennel, large fennel, sweet fennel, Florence fennel, wild fennel, fenchel, fenouille, aneth fenouil, hinojo

part(s) used: leaf, seed, volatile oil

qualities: aromatic

affinities: intestines, eyes

actions: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, bronchial dilator, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, galactagogue, orexigenic, rubefacient, stimulant

dosage:

» oil: 0.03 - 0.2 ml.

» tincture: 0.5 - 2 ml.

therapy:

» internal: flatulent colic in babies; amenorrhea; suppressed lactation (Felter and Scudder, p. 380); dyspepsia and diarrhea in infants; blepharitis; conjunctivitis (Weiss, p. 68); flatulent dyspepsia; anorexia

» external: conjunctivitis; blepharitis; pharyngitis (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, p. 93)

AHPA Botanical Safety Rating: 1

toxicity: plant: 0; essential oil: 3

» contraindicated during pregnancy due to its emmenagogue effect (especially in concentrated form, such as essential oil) and the phytoestrogen activity of its volatile oil components: anethole, dianethole and photanethole (Brinker, Wichtl, Albert-Puleo, Farnsworth)

» essential oil contraindicated for infants or small children due to its potential toxicity (Brinker, De Smet)

» overdose of tincture may induce narcotic effects, resulting in convulsions and hallucinations (Duke, pp. 198-199); essential oil overdose (1 - 5 ml.) may result in pulmonary edema, respiratory problems, and seizures (Duke, pp. 198-199)

» essential oil contains estragole, a weak hepatocarcinogen similar in chemistry and toxicity to safrole (Keeler and Tu, p. 252; Miller et al)

constituents: essential oil, flavonoids, coumarins, sterols

footnotes

Albert-Puleo M. 1980. Fennel and anise as estrogenic agents. J Ethnopharmacol.. 2:337-44.

Brinker F. 1996. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, rev. 2nd ed., Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.

British Herbal Medical Association. 1983. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. West Yorks, England: The British Herbal Medical Association.

De Smet PAGM et al. (eds.). 1993. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2, Berlin: Springer-Verlag

Duke, J.A. 1985. C.R.C. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: The C.R.C. Press.

Farnsworth NR, Bingel AS, Cordell GA, Crane FA, Fong HHS. 1975. Potential Value of Plants as Sources of New Antifertility Agents I. J. Pharm. Sci., 64:535-98.

Felter, H.W. & Scudder, John K., 1922. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Cincinnati, Ohio. Reprinted in 1985 by Eclectic Medical Publications, Portland, OR.

Keeler, R.F., and Tu, A.T. 1983. Handbook of Natural Toxins. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.

Miller, E.C., Swanson, A.B., Phillips, D.H. 1983. Structure-related studies in the carcinogenicity in the mouse and rat of some naturally occurring and synthetic alkenyl benzenes related to safrole and estragole. Cancer Research. 43: 1124-1134.

Weiss, R.F. 1988. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum; Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers, Ltd.

Wichtl M (ed.). 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, Boca Raton: CRC Press.