Fennel seeds are derived from the Foeniculum vulgare plant, a member of the Apiaceae family. 

They have been used for thousands of years for both culinary and medicinal purposes, and are known for their distinct flavor and aroma. 

Fennel seeds offer numerous health benefits due to their rich nutrient profile and various bioactive compounds. 

Some of the key properties and benefits of fennel seeds include:

1. Antioxidant properties: Fennel seeds contain various antioxidants, such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and vitamin C, which help neutralize free radicals and protect the body against oxidative stress.
2. Digestive health: Fennel seeds are traditionally used to relieve digestive issues like bloating, gas, indigestion, and constipation. They contain anethole, a compound that helps relax the smooth muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, promoting better digestion and reducing discomfort.
3. Anti-inflammatory effects: The volatile oils and other compounds in fennel seeds may have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and provide relief from conditions like arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
4. Respiratory health: Fennel seeds have expectorant properties, which can help clear mucus and phlegm from the respiratory system, providing relief from coughs, colds, and other respiratory ailments.
5. Diuretic effects: Fennel seeds can act as a diuretic, promoting the production of urine and helping to flush out excess fluids and toxins from the body. This can be beneficial for managing high blood pressure and reducing water retention.
6. Menstrual health: Fennel seeds have been traditionally used to alleviate menstrual cramps and other menstrual-related symptoms due to their antispasmodic and estrogen-like properties.
7. Lactation support: Fennel seeds have been used to promote lactation in breastfeeding mothers, as they are believed to increase milk production.
8. Heart health: Fennel seeds are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, and magnesium, which can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels and support overall cardiovascular health.
9. Bone health: Fennel seeds are rich in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones.
10. Immune support: The vitamin C content in fennel seeds may help strengthen the immune system and protect against infections.

It's important to note that while fennel seeds have many potential health benefits, more research is needed to fully understand the extent of their effects. Always consult with a healthcare professional before using fennel seeds to treat specific health conditions.

Source : http://www.wikiphyto.org/wiki/Fenouil_doux

Reference on http://www.wikiphyto.org

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plant name

1. Sweet fennel ( dill fennel )
2. bitter fennel
3.  

International Latin denomination

1. Foeniculum vulgare Mill. var. sweetness
2. Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgar

botanical family

Apiaceae ( Umbelliferae )

Description and habitat

• Herbaceous plant from the limestone hillsides of the Midi, with a strong aniseed smell
• Glaucous stem up to 2 m high, with leaves cut into filiform, pinnate, feathery strips
• Greenish-yellow flowers gathered in umbels
• Fruit: oblong +/- arched achene

History and tradition

• Part of the syrup of the five roots: Ache , Asparagus , Fennel , Parsley , Butcher's broom
• In the Middle Ages, it was used as an antidote against witchcraft
• Two varieties are described, Foeniculum vulgare var. amara (to fenchone ) and var. dulce (to anethole and estragole )

Parts used

• Fruit, root, leaf
• Seed essential oil (fruit)

Dosage forms available

• Seed tincture (fruit)
• Aerial part essential oil

Usual dosages

Composition

Main components of the plant

• Fruits of the sweet variety Foeniculum vulgare var. sweet  :
  • Essential oil (2 to 6%) rich in E-anethole (= trans-anethole 80%) methyl-chavicol = estragole (5 - 10%) and fenchone (< 2%)
  • Coumarins  : scopoletin , bergapten , umbelliferone
  • Diosgenin
  • There are two chemotypes  : anethole and estragole .
• Root: flavonoids ( kaemferol , quercetin , isorhamnetin ), organic acids , coumarins ( umbelliferone )

Main components of buds or young shoots

Main components of essential oil

• Phenol methyl ethers  : trans-anethole = E-anethole (55-75% in Fœniculum vulgare var. amara , 80-95% in Fœniculum vulgare var. dulce ), methyl-chavicol = estragole (5 - 10%)
• Ketone  : fenchone (12-25% in Fœniculum vulgare var. amara , 1-10% in Fœniculum vulgare var. dulce )
• Alpha-pinene 1-10% (in Foeniculum vulgare var. amara )
• Two chemotypes are described  : anethole and estragole .

Properties

Plant properties

• Root: diuretic (syrup of the five roots), the herbal tea is much less active, you need a hydro-alcoholic extract (Fleurentin)
• Leaf: vulnerary
• Fruit: carminative, galactagogue and eupeptic, expectorant
  • Anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, by inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase [1]
  • Stimulates stomach motility by mouth
  • Galactogen (seed and essential oil)
• The plant (hydro-alcoholic extract) improves fertility in mice (presence of diosgenin ) [2]
• Anethole is estrogen -like but total essential oil is more active. It increases the glandular secretions at the respiratory level by direct action on the cells or by stimulation of the glands of the gastric mucosa. This causes an evacuation of the bronchial mucus

Bud properties

Properties of essential oil

• Galactogenic, estrogen-like ( anethole ) [3] , estrogenic effect is related to polymers of anethole ( dianethole and photoanethole ) [4]
• Powerfully antispasmodic
• Anxiolytic [5]
• Nerve, respiratory and cardiac tonic
• Depurative, eupeptic, stomachic, aperitif, cholagogue, choleretic, carminative, improves colic in children in a randomized study against placebo [6]
• Hepatoprotective [7]
• Analgesic, anti-inflammatory [8]
• Antifungal (dermatophytes Trichophyton rubrum , Trichophyton tonsurans , Microsporum gypseum , Trichophyton mentagrophytes ) [9] , [10]
• Antioxidant, comparable to tocopherol [11]
• Antithrombotic, broad-spectrum antiplatelet activity, and vasorelaxant action ( anethole ) [12]
• Miticide [13]

Directions

Indications of the whole plant (phytotherapy)

• Bloating, gastralgia
• Cholelithiasis
• Breastfeeding (stimulates)
• Anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women [14]
• Postmenopausal vaginal atrophy by local route in the form of a cream, significantly increases the index of vaginal maturation and the number of superficial cells [15] , but not by oral route [16]
• Locally: blepharitis, conjunctivitis
• A cream with fennel extract dosed at 2% is effective on female hirsutism [17]

Indications of the bud (gemmotherapy)

Specific indications of essential oil (aromatherapy)

• Insufficient breastfeeding
• Amenorrhea, symptoms of premenopause and menopause
• Neuromuscular spasms, lumbago, rheumatism
• Bronchitis, asthma, spastic cough
• Dyspepsia, aerophagia, hiccups, nausea, flatulence, colitis, gastralgia, anorexia
• Stress, nervous asthenia

Known or suspected mode of action

• Vulnerary comes from “vulnus -eris wound => vulnerarius = suitable for healing wounds
• Anethole is central analgesic , increases pulmonary secretions, stimulates expectoration, estrogen-like, stimulates liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, antithrombotic

Usual formulations

• Herbal tea called "five roots" (diuretic):
  • Wild fennel roots ( Fœniculum vulgare )
  • Ache roots ( Apium graveolens )
  • Asparagus roots ( Asparagus officinalis )
  • Parsley roots ( Petroselinum sativum )
  • Small holly roots ( Ruscus aculeatus ) ... to 30 grams
  • Take two teaspoons (about 10 grams) for 1/2 liter of water, boil for a few minutes, infuse for half an hour, filter. Drink during the day, 4 days a week
• Galactogenic herbal tea:
  • Angelica Angelica archangelica seeds...30 grams
  • Green anise Pimpinella anisum seeds...30 grams
  • Fennel Foeniculum vulgare seeds ... 30 grams
  • Caraway Carum caraway seeds...60 grams
  • Hops Humulus lupulus cones ... 20 grams
  • One teaspoon per cup. Boil 2 to 3 minutes, infuse 10 minutes. Drink 2 to 3 cups a day

Regulations

• French Pharmacopoeia list A (fruit of sweet fennel and bitter fennel , underground part of sweet fennel )

Possible side effects and precautions for use

• HE not recommended for pregnant women
• Prolonged use of fennel can cause premature breast enlargement in little girls ( thelarche ) [18]
• Caution in case of hypothyroidism ( HE )
• Avoid association with anticoagulants or antiaggregants
• No prolonged use
• Essential oil formally contraindicated in hormone-dependent cancer pathologies

Bibliographic references

1. Aller↑ Lee JH, Lee DU, Kim YS, Kim HP. 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibition of the Fructus of Foeniculum vulgare and Its Constituents. Biomolecules & Therapeutics. 2012;20(1):113-117. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2012.20.1.113. Full Text
2. Aller↑ Khazaei M, Montaseri A, Khazaei MR, Khanahmadi M. Study of Foeniculum vulgare Effect on Folliculogenesis in Female Mice. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility. 2011;5(3):122-127. [1]
3. Aller↑ Howes MJ, Houghton PJ, Barlow DJ, Pocock VJ, Milligan SR. Assessment of estrogenic activity in some common essential oil constituents. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2002 Nov;54(11):1521-8. PMID 12495555
4. Aller↑ Albert-Puleo M. Fennel and anise as estrogenic agents. J Ethnopharmacol. 1980 Dec;2(4):337-44. PMID 6999244
5. Aller↑ Mesfin M, Asres K, Shibeshi W. Evaluation of anxiolytic activity of the essential oil of the aerial part of Foeniculum vulgare Miller in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Aug 23;14:310. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-310. PMID 25149087
6. Aller↑ Alexandrovich I, Rakovitskaya O, Kolmo E, Sidorova T, Shushunov S. The effect of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;9(4):58-61. PMID 12868253
7. Aller↑ H. Özbek, S. Ura, H. Dülger, Bayram, Tuncer, G. Öztürk, A. Öztürk. Hepatoprotective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil. Fitoterapia, Volume 74, Issue 3, April 2003, Pages 317-319 full text
8. Aller↑ Eun-Mi Choi and Jae-Kwan Hwang. Antiinflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activities of the fruit of Foeniculum vulgare. Fitoterapia, Volume 75, Issue 6, September 2004, Pages 557-565
9. Aller↑ Zeng H, Chen X, Liang J. In vitro antifungal activity and mechanism of essential oil from fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) on dermatophyte species. J Med Microbiol. 2015 Jan;64(Pt 1):93-103. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.077768-0. PMID 25351709
10. Aller↑ Gurdip Singh, Sumitra Maurya, MP de Lampasona, C. Catalan. Chemical constituents, antifungal and antioxidant potential of Foeniculum vulgare volatile oil and its acetone extract. Food Control, Volume 17, Issue 9, September 2006, Pages 745–752
11. Aller↑ Ruberto, G., Baratta, MT, Deans, SG, & Dorman, HD (2000). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Foeniculum vulgare and Crithmum maritimum essential oils. Plantamedica, 66(08), 687-693.
12. Aller↑ Tognolini M, Ballabeni V, Bertoni S, Bruni R, Impicciatore M, Barocelli E. Protective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil and anethole in an experimental model of thrombosis. Pharmacol Res. 2007 Sep;56(3):254-60. PMID 17709257
13. Aller↑ Lee HS. Acaricidal activity of constituents identified in Foeniculum vulgare fruit oil against Dermatophagoides spp. (Acari: Pyroglyphidae). J Agric Food Chem. 2004 May 19;52(10):2887-9. PMID 15137830
14. Aller↑ Ghazanfarpour M, Mohammadzadeh F, Shokrollahi P, Khadivzadeh T, Najaf Najafi M, Hajirezaee H, Afiat M. Effect of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) on symptoms of depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jan;38(1):121-126. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1342229. PMID 28891367
15. Aller↑ Yaralizadeh M, Abedi P, Najar S, Namjoyan F, Saki A. Effect of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) vaginal cream on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Maturitas. 2016 Feb;84:75-80. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.11.005. PMID 26617271
16. Aller↑ Ghazanfarpour M, Shokrollahi P, Khadivzadeh T, Baharian Sharghi N, Mirzaii Najmabadi K, Babakhanian M, Jafarian AHEffect of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Post Reprod Health. 2017 Dec;23(4):171-176. doi: 10.1177/2053369117733629. PMID 28990439
17. Aller↑ Javidnia K, Dastgheib L, Mohammadi Samani S, Nasiri A. Antihirsutism activity of Fennel (fruits of Foeniculum vulgare) extract. A double-blind placebo controlled study. Phytomedicine. 2003;10(6-7):455-8. PMID 13678227
18. Aller↑ Türkyilmaz Z, Karabulut R, Sönmez K, Can Başaklar A. A striking and frequent cause of premature thelarche in children: Foeniculum vulgare. J Pediatric Surg. 2008 Nov;43(11):2109-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.07.027. PMID 18970951

• Aviessi F. Dangou J. Wotto V. Alitonou G. Sohounhloue D. Menut Chantal. Antioxidant properties of the essential oil of the leaves of Clausena anisata (Wild) Hook. Chemistry reports. 2004, vol. 7, no.10-11, pp. 1057-1061
• Zeller A, Horst K, Rychlik M. Study of the metabolism of estragole in humans consuming fennel tea. Chem Res Toxicol. 2009 Dec;22(12):1929-37. doi: 10.1021/tx900236g. PMID 19908891

Store in a cool, dry place, away from light. Keep tightly closed, away from the reach of Children and pets.

Do not exceed the daily dose.

This product is not intended to prevent or cure any form of illness or disease.
 

If you are pregnant or nursing ; If you have a medical condition or are in the course of medical treatment ; If you are programmed for theater/operation in the near future, please consult your healthcare practitioner before using this product.

This product cannot replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

This product has not been evaluated by the SAHPRA for its quality, safety or intended use.

For More Information please check our General Safety Herbal products Page