Fennel — Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel

Latin name: Foeniculum vulgare

Family: Umbelliferae (parsley family) Herbal Healing Mod 1 page 53

Part used: seed

Habitat: native to the Mediterranean region; widely cultivated

Main constituents: volatile oil, flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), coumarins (bergapten, xanthotoxin), limonene

Energetics: warming, aromatic, sweet, spicy

Main herbal actions: carminative, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, galactagogue, stomachic

Minor herbal actions: phytoestrogenic, mild expectorant

Main medicinal uses: flatulence and colic in adults and infants; indigestion

Minor medicinal uses: coughs

Preparations: infusion: 1 tsp crushed seeds/cup water; 1:4 tincture: 10-60 gtt qd-qid

Contraindications: pregnancy (possible)

Toxicity: overdose of essential oil can cause nausea, vomiting, seizures, and pulmonary edema

Sources: Sharol Tilgner, N.D.: Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth; Wren, R.C. Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations